French to Snuff Out Smoking...
 

in public places totally! That's the recommendation of a minister and seems destined to become policy.

(Based on NPR report this morning)

The law will apply to all public places and it's hoped that it will be strictly enforced unlike the farcical enforcement of laws currently that restrict smoking on transport, in offices, train stations, etc.

The government commission recommending it says they will probably due it by government edict rather than by Parliamentary law because of the tobacco lobby's strong presence there.

The ones most upset about the new law seem to be the countries thousands of tobacconists - tobacco in France it said is only sold in "Tabacs", government licensed tobacco shops. And many of these shops are in cafes where smoking along with a drink is a long cherished tradition - one tabac owner lamented it wouldn't be the same if over a morning coffee a smoker had to go outside to smoke his fag.

Today there are no-smoking tables by law in all cafes and restaurants though this is a farce in actuality. Many such 'no-smoking' tables are one or a few tables with a no-smoking sign on it surrounded by smokers. Violations even of this law are rife - recently in a train station cafe a smoker was puffing away whilst sitting in the only non-smoking table. In Austerlitz station i was sitting next to a teenager and during the announcement "the station is wholly non-smoking" the kid lit up a cigarette without worry. A conductor checking tickets in the station was also smoking in violation of the rules. On and on - now in the future i hope that a person's right to smoke in France ends at my nose!

Laws are one thing...enforcement another. The French official interviewed said that if Ireland, Italy and New York City could do why not Paris and France. He said Paris is changing like the rest and it's inevitable.

But French cafes without smoke? Now that will be a breathe of fresh air in spite of the tradition of dangling cigarettes in mouths of patrons.

It won't work, too many smokers.

It's about time! Second-hand smoke contains over 60 know carcinogens and, according to the US Surgeon General, killed 49,000 non-smokers in the US in 2005 alone.

The smoking ban not only "worked" in New York City, it was/is a huge success. It will work in France as well.

I wonder how it's working in Italy, which is where you'd think it would lack enforcement might as Italians routinely avoid laws as regards traffic, parking, taxes, etc.

Any reports on how no-smoking caffes are turning out?

I just returned from 2 weeks in Italy, and the Italians, miraculously, are obeying the smoking ban at an incredible rate (much to many's surprise).

Even the NY Times commented on it in a recent book review, the high compliance rate.

Personally, during my 2 weeks there, I did not see even one person violating the ban. Italians, like New Yorkers, respectfully stepped outside to light up their cancer sticks.

I was in Rome, Venice and Siena in April of '05, fairly shortly after the rule went into effect.

At the time, it appeared to pretty well enforced. We even had some nice chats in Venice with a Roman couple who was also stepping outside for smokes between dinner courses. The waiter was working the timing perfectly - and consciously - for all of us.

I've since quit, but I appreciate that waiter's consideration and that couple's conversation.

France? Wow, it hardly seems possible. But then again, the Irish seem to have pulled it off.

The NPR report said 78% of French people polled were in favor of the smoking ban! This obviously includes some smokers.

It's like on trains that used to have smoking sections - even non-smokers liked to sit in them and then when they needed a smoke, go to the smoking car or buffet car!

Well, they did a much-touted smoking ban in Spain this year and it's turned out to be a complete joke. The reason: too many smokers. The percentage of smokers in France is similar to that of Spain (around 33%), which is much higher than Italy's (23%) and NYC. http://tinyurl.com/kbh7o

My prediction is that the law in France won't be enforced, just as the existing one hasn't for 15 (?) years. They'll need to decrease the number of smokers first.

Maybe with the population getting older they'll die off.

In spite of all the predictions to the contrary, it's working very well in Italy, and the number of smokers is diminishing as more and more people are quitting (though, unfortunately, the number of young smokers seems to be increasing).

Part of the reason it's not working in Spain is that restaurants were given a choice to go totally non-smoking or not. Force of habit: most continue to allow smoking.

I have gotten so spoiled now that I was shocked and horrified to be subjected to smoke in a restaurant in Amsterdam. If more countries would just get over their fears (and ignore the shrieks of the beleaguered smokers), they'd find that the vast majority of the public and restaurant owners are a lot happier with the ban.

best regards,
Deirdré Straughan

beginningwithi.com

You are partially right about the half-assed law in Spain. Only the small bars/restaurants were given the choice, the large ones had to go non-smoking but many didn't. And in fact now people are smoking even in the large restaurants who did comply with the law! The number of fines given is ridicolous (like 8 fines in whole Barcelona in 9 months). A total ban wouldn't have worked, because of the sheer number of smokers (actually 33% of smokers seems low to me for Spain, I'd read 40% elsewhere).

By the way I never predicted it wouldn't work in Italy. Percentage there was 23% before the ban, I don't know what it is now. If it works in France it will be a huge improvement, but I wouldn't bet on it.

I thought you were required to smoke in French cafes ?!?! I don't smoke, but I don't see this being enforced.

It's certainly catching on.
Wales will be smoke free in public places from next year. I think it will be difficult to implement at first but after some length of time it will become normal practice, just like everything else.

I long for a smoke free night out down my local.

Not sure how it will effect pub business here in Wales.

France however is a different story, as French people don't abide by hardly any rules and do seem to do what they want. ;-) Also I suspect the ratio of smokers may be higher in France than Wales, although I haven't checked.

Muck
Muck

This is the best news since they passed the law about cleaning up after your dogs. I was convinced that would never work, but what a change that one has made!

A lot of places in France got wind of the imminent change a year ago already and have gone completely non smoking already, with absolutely no problem. 80% of the French support a public smoking ban, so I really do not understand why some people doubt that it will take hold.

There was even an article in the Biloxi Sun Herald this week about possibly banning smoking in restaurants in Mississippi, so maybe there is hope that it will catch on in the United States.

People seem to want to believe these plans won't work. Anyone who's been though it as many of us have even in the US have heard the "it will put restaurants out of business --- no one will eat out anymore -- or even, no one will enforce it". Yet time after time it has worked almost everywhere it has been put into effect. Who would have ever guessed there would be no more smoking in Irish pubs? Or on Italian trains?

And Irish pubs, by all reports are thriving more than ever - many have even set up smoking areas in heated shelters outside and are doing more business in non-smoking insides and lots outside.

But the fact that current smoking laws are so wantonly ignored in France may signal that any law will be similarly enforced, but over time yes will win out.

Increduously at CDG Customs once, two customs officials were puffing away while scutinzing passengers and both were right in front of a huge no-smoking sign!

"Well, they did a much-touted smoking ban in Spain this year and it's turned out to be a complete joke. The reason: too many smokers. The percentage of smokers in France is similar to that of Spain (around 33%), which is much higher than Italy's (23%)"............

not much "works" in spain since the enforcement of the law is so lax. but just wait until they are given the order to enforce.. be prepared.
they don't mess around.

same with absolutely everything.

it's not so much as "half-assed laws" as half=assed enforcement, and total lack of civc resposibility.

if not.. what explains the pooed up sidewalks across the nation (exxcept in a FEW civicly conscious regions..).

we have great laws here.. but such a high tolerance rate of everything specified in them.. i don't see any great changes in the near future.

But the law was half-assed (as well as the enforcement). What sense does it make to allow smoking in bars if they are under 100 square meters? If anything, it should be the other way around as in a small room smoke will be denser and the effect on worker's health worse.

Hmmmmm,

I wonder if they will get around to banning smoking in "coffee shops" in The Netherlands?

((I))