(USA Today) today reports that most Italian restaurants and caffes will become non-smoking starting Jan 10, 2005. Thus another chink in smokers armor has fallen as even Italy joins the non-smoking movement. Hard to believe this law will be strictly enforced but hopefull it will.

Hi
thanks for the update
Ciao!

Very good news to this ex-smoker, but in Italy I'll believe it when I see it, or should I say don't smell it!

the article did say the law left restaurant/caffe owners 'fuming' because it puts the burden on them of reporting offenders, clients, to authorities, or there will be ramifications to their licenses, etc. But like the unpopular law requiring mopeds to be licensed and mopeders to wear helmets, which was surprisingly enforced with vigor, making there is a change in the laissez-faire Italy of old. Now if they can just enforce the parking laws whose lack of enforcement makes cities like Rome one big parking lot.

Our experience in Venice last spring was that all the establishments we frequented were already non-smoking. The No Smoking sign is a cigarette tied in a knot.

I don't smoke when I'm at home but do smoke in Italy, mainly in self defense. Smoke or Choke.

I can't imagine the chain smoking Romans abiding by it...

But then, if they can do it in Ireland, they can do it anywhere.

I think this is wishful (and wistful - on my part) thinking because smoking is such a wide-spread "fashion" throughout Italy, that it is going to be near impossible to ban or report. Perhaps they will have all the smokers sit outside in covered terrace areas. My fiance is a smoker and would die (literally-huh!) without lighting up at least once during/after dinner. It will be interesting to see how he will react to this law and how effective it will be in Italy's smaller towns.

We spent a week in Italy (Montepulciano), and I can remember in one of the restaurants we frequented, people were going outside to smoke, including my landlord whom I rented the apartment from. That was in Sept of this year.

It worked in Ireland, why not Italy?

Well they've had the smoking ban on trains for a while now to get used to it. I agree, if it can work in Ireland -- Italy should be a breeze!

PalQ,
The government rule says that every venue should have a smoke-free section, clearly marked with floor-to-ceiling walls and with a good ventilation system.
Most restaurant owners either do not want to make big investments, or simply can't because their place is too small!
But it's a not a total cigarette ban!

Hi all,

I smoke cigarettes. I enjoy smoking cigarettes, especially with alcohol and/or coffee.

On our visit to Italy last Oct and to Paris last May, I found that very few people smoked in restaurants and cafes where food was served.

It's not all that difficult to refrain until one leaves the restaurant.

I note that this post has been up for almost 24 hrs and no one has commented on misspellings.

We are getting very laid back.

ira - nah, we're just still stunned from the "Please critique ARE honeymoon" thread on the US Board... sigh.

Ira- what misspelings do you referr too?

ira,

I think elaine made a very subtle correction.

Yay! Great news. Even more incentive for me to move to Italy permanently (sigh)!

This non-smoking situation doesn't surprise me at all. Each time we have gone to Italy in the last few years, I have seen more and more non-smoking areas. As was mentioned before the trains are non-smoking. You can also ask for non-smoking rooms in hotels. Usually in the smaller hotels they never offered non-smoking room, some do now. Some restaurants have had non-smoking for a long time.

I was in a non-smoking car on an Italian train and the condcutor, while slowly moving through checking tickets, was puffing away on his cigarette! We'll see how the law is enforced. France has a law about providing non-smoking tables in cafes and it's a farce - i've seen people smoking right at the non-smoking tables and such tables are often one table surrounded by smokers. Caio ciao!

A farce indeed, PalQ!
Same situation here in Belgium. Restaurants must have a non-smoking section. Putting non-smoking signs on the tables is enough to fulfil the requirements! I must say, though, that fewer people smoke than when I was young (I used to smoke AN AWFUL LOT, quit 12 years ago).