Photo by Kevin H.

You can’t smoke in bars and restaurants. You can’t smoke with 25 feet of the entrance of some buildings. And soon you may not even be able to light up within 25 feet of a D.C. playground.

This week Councilmember Vincent Orange (D-At Large) introduced legislation that would extend the ban on smoking to areas surrounding playgrounds, whether public or private. Owners or operators of the playgrounds would have to post no-smoking signs at a 25-foot boundary point around the playground or play area, indicating to smokers where it’s no longer legal for them to light up. Only residents that live within 25 feet of a playground would be exempted from the law’s provisions.

“The purpose of the Smoking Restriction Amendment Act of 2103 is to protect the health, comfort, and environment of children. The bill addresses the concerns of District residents who have smelled cigarette smoke on playgrounds and play areas as well as witness adults smoking in these areas. Children should be afforded a safe and healthy environment in which to play,” said Orange in a statement.

Should the law pass, it would further limit options for area smokers. Beyond the existing bans in D.C., both GW and American have pledged to go fully smoke-free in 2013. Anti-smoking advocates have also been pushing Metro to crack down on smoking on outdoor train platforms. Last week the Montgomery County Council approved a bill banning smoking on county property, including in bus shelters.