I am traveling to Geneva, Munich, Grindlewald and Lucerne. What is the situation on smoking? We are from States and you can only smoke in very few places. Also, do they have same brands and what are prices per pack? As a side note, should we worry about pick-pockets?

No smoking in virtually any public place in those countries and on all transports as well i believe as now in most of Europe

Maybe you will get lucky and the pickpockets, thinking of your health, will steal those nasty ol' cigs!!!

Hi G,

Bring cigs with you. Much, much cheaper.

> should we worry about pick-pockets?<

No, but you should be aware of your surroundings and assume that anyway who presses up against you is not just looking for a cheap thrill.

Buy your cigarettes at duty free at the airport on your way out of the US and again on the way back from Europe--much, much cheaper. Approx. $29/carton at duty free in the US and 19euro/carton at duty free in Europe.

Google "smoking ban" + "(city)" you are going to for exact laws, wikipedia also has this information.

Public smoking laws vary widely by country and can be rather lax, heating lamps are also common.

Remember you are limited in the number of cigarettes you can import into the EU.
http://tinyurl.com/4vqk8w is a list of tobacco prices in Europe in July 2008.
Marlboro are certainly available, no idea of other brands, being a life long non smoker.

re. Munich

The State of Bavaria implemented a total smoking ban inside all restaurants, cafes, bars, pubs etc. in January 2008.
Consequently, a huge number of pub owners have turned their establishments into private smokers' club with admission for members only. In reality, that means that you will have to sign up a form w/ your name and address and thus become a member of the "club". Sometimes it's for free, sometimes it may cost you €1. You will notice those pubs by a blue sticker with a cigarette or the phrase "Raucherclub".
Restaurants are (with the exception of outdoor terraces, of course) usually 100% smoke-free.

Price for a pack of major brand cigarettes is €4, but the pack contains only 17 to 18 cigs.

Smoking is not allowed on any means of public transportation, including taxis, and only in designated areas at train stations and airports.

Pickpockets are not a major issue here in Munich.

Smoking outside is still permitted most anywhere. I was in Switzerland this summer and there were smoking sections INSIDE restaurants though that is becoming rarer in Western Europe. Germans still smoke at outside cafes without specific sections.

Go to the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg i believe for cheap cigs

I wonder if Indian tribe reservations sell cigarettes at about 1/3 the price of cigs outside them - European indigenous peoples' lands i mean

we ridiculed america's smoking bans at first and then we copied them very soon after.

Geneva just had its smoking ban struck down by the courts. They will put it back, but it will take about 3 months to vote the law. I was reading in the Swiss press yesterday that about half of the places have remained non smoking and the others instantly brought out the ashtrays.