European Smoking Ban In Public Places Urged

The Times: Smoking Ban Urged On All Public Places In Europe

Smoking will be banned in all bars, cafés and restaurants in the European Union if controversial legislation being developed by the European Commissioner for Health is passed.

The Commission is planning to use employment law to ban smoking in all workplaces. Employment legislation is covered by majority voting, which means that the smoking ban could be introduced into Britain even if the British Government voted against it.

The proposed ban has caused outrage among tobacco companies and restaurant owners, who said that it would lead to big job losses. Ireland is the only European country which has introduced a ban in bars and restaurants, although bans are common in the US.

Being a non-smoker I would welcome such legislation. Having experienced smoke-free bars in California it is so much more enjoyable to go to a bar and not have to breathe in cigarette and cigar smoke. If there was a blanket ban on smoking I cannot see how restaurant and pub owners would lose out, people would still want to socialise and go out for a meal regardless of if you can smoke there or not.

Comments

[Horst]

Not really. Restaurant owners in New York have reported average losses of 27-31% since the total smoking ban was introduced. I know a couple of people who would never set foot into a bar or restaurant where they can't smoke. When I was still smoking, I wouldn't have done it either.

[Rob]

Thanks for the info. If smoking was banned in all public places would smokers really stop going out? It's understandable if certain places banned smoking then you would expect smokers to avoid them but if all places had to comply then smokers would have to go somewhere.

[cropsy]

I smoke. Would I stop going to pubs or restuarants if a non-smoking policy was enforced? To restaurants, no; I don't smoke in restaurants anyway. To pubs? I probably would stop going. I can't drink without a smoke (sad, I know), and wouldn't enjoy myself. The majority of my friends smoke too, so we'd probably just have parties in our various houses.

[Sebastian]

It's aboluty no question that a smoking ban is and was a huge sucess in New York, California, Ireland and so on.

There will be a rising up in business sales, too. So why should the majority of non-smokers went into bars and cafès for enjoying a meal if they get cancer an a smoking athmosphere and also pay for that?

There is a smoking ban in airplanes, most shopping center, busses and trains, but smokers use airplanes, shopping centers, busses and trains – so they will also use bars, cafès with a smoking ban. Also they can smoke outside, so where's the problem!

Ist absolutely necessary to introduce smoking bans, because of the massiv costs of tobacco damages commited to no-smokers and workers in bars and cafès, and the health factor!