Smoking and vaping will no longer be allowed on patios at bars and restaurants in Montgomery County.
County health officials plan to start enforcing the ban on Thursday. The county banned smoking inside buildings in 2003, and now the law extends to outdoor eating areas.
Establishments found permitting smoking in such areas will be fined $50.
There is a loophole: Special smoking areas in balconies and rooftops will be permitted.
Rockville and Gaithersburg have already enacted similar bans, the county says.
