Web Site Offers Information on the Smoking Status of all Restaurants in Virginia

The Office of Environmental Health Service’s restaurant inspection Web site (www.healthspace.ca/vdh) now provides information on the smoking status for all fast food and full service restaurants in the Commonwealth. The information is provided by locality. Non-smoking facilities are identified with a distinctive icon. A non-smoking designation means that smoking is not permitted anywhere inside the restaurant but may be permitted outside. The addition of smoking status helps the public become well-informed food service consumers. The Web site is updated following inspections by environmental health specialists. It enables the public to monitor ongoing compliance with the food safety requirements and the current smoking status in their favorite restaurants. This Web site has been very popular with the public and the media averaging more than 90,000 visits (1.7 million hits) per month since its inception in May 2003.