GREECE: Smoking ban begins in Greece, Europe's heaviest smoking nation, amidst confusion and criticism
Record ID:
562473
GREECE: Smoking ban begins in Greece, Europe's heaviest smoking nation, amidst confusion and criticism
- Title: GREECE: Smoking ban begins in Greece, Europe's heaviest smoking nation, amidst confusion and criticism
- Date: 2nd July 2009
- Summary: ATHENS, GREECE (JULY 1 2009) (REUTERS) CONSTITUTION SQUARE IN CENTRAL ATHENS VIEW OF PARLIAMENT BUILDINGS WITH GREEK FLAG PEOPLE STANDING ON SQUARE TALKING PEOPLE WALKING ON SQUARE EXTERIOR OF RESTAURANT "CENTRAL" INTERIOR OF RESTAURANT CENTRAL VARIOUS OF PEOPLE SITTING AT TABLES EATING RESTAURANT OWNER NIKOS KOUTOUZIS AND WAITER SPEAKING TO CUSTOMERS (SOUNDBITE) (Greek) NIKOS KOUTOUZIS, RESTAURANT OWNER SAYING: "We will remove the ashtrays as of today and put them only on the outside tables for those who want to smoke, until we can understand what exactly (the law) states, because until now we don't understand it. Of course if the law is enforced and 30 percent of the restaurant must be for smokers we will follow the law." INTERIOR OF AN OFFICE VARIOUS OF EMPLOYEES WORKING AT THEIR DESKS (SOUNDBITE) (Greek) EFSTATHIOS ANESTIS, GENERAL CONFEDERATION OF GREEK WORKERS, GSEE, GREECE'S LARGEST LABOUR UNION, SPOKESMAN SAYING: "The law infringes on the rights of workers, it does not foresee spaces for smokers so those that want to can exercise the right to smoke without their human rights being violated." ATHENS, GREECE (JUNE 30 2009) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF CUSTOMERS SITTING AT OUTSIDE RESTAURANT TABLES SMOKING (SOUNDBITE) (Greek) SMOKER PANAYIOTIS SAYING: "I would rather stay home with friends and have a drink if I can't go somewhere where I can smoke. I think this will create a crisis with the businesses, if the law is enforced of course." ATHENS, GREECE (JULY 1 2009) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF CUSTOMERS SITTING AT TABLES AT CAFE (SOUNDBITE) (English) NON-SMOKER MARIOS GARTAGANIS SAYING: "Greeks generally don't like to be told what to do in general. They are also very lax about rules and regulations. In hospitals there is a non smoking ban for several years and yet people smoke in hospitals." INTERIOR OF RESTAURANT, NON SMOKING SECTION EMPTY VARIOUS OF NON SMOKING SIGN ON EMPTY TABLE
- Embargoed: 17th July 2009 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Greece
- Country: Greece
- Topics: Health,Domestic Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA4ZKKNPT13CK74YT6C3TNFOC3K
- Story Text: Smoking ban begins in Greece, the European Union's heaviest smoker, amidst doubt, confusion and criticism.
A country-wide smoking ban came into effect in Greece on Wednesday (July 1) amidst confusion and scepticism, after previous attempts at smoking restrictions had little effect.
As of July 1 smoking is prohibited in all indoor public spaces and private work areas, as well as airports, ships, trains, and taxis.
Bars, cafes and restaurants between 70 and 300 square metres must have clearly marked smoking and non smoking sections that are isolated from each other, with smoking sections making up 30 percent of the space.
Nightclubs must have smoking and non smoking sections separated by a two metre tall divider if they are over 300 square metres.
All spaces must be properly ventilated.
But as Greeks are the heaviest smokers in the European Union, the Greek Health Ministry has already made some concessions to the new law.
Instead of the original blanket ban, offices with more than 50 employees will be permitted to have separate smoking rooms.
Restaurants, bars and cafes under 70 square metres may choose to be fully smoking or fully non-smoking. According to local media reports hundreds of establishments under 70 square metres in Athens and Greece's second main city of Thessaloniki have said they will declare themselves as full smoking businesses.
Casinos have been exempted completely for the time being from the law.
Restaurant owners were in a state of confusion on Wednesday, unclear as to what actions they were supposed to take, as the details of the measures were only announced a day before.
Business owners said they have not received information on how to separate their open space establishments, what permits they will need to rearrange spaces, and what kind of ventilation is needed.
They also said most of their clientele are smokers and they could lose business, while running up costs to make the changes in the midst of a financial crisis.
"We will remove the ashtrays as of today and put them only on the outside tables for those who want to smoke, until we can understand what exactly (the law) states, because until now we don't understand it. Of course if the law is enforced and 30 percent of the restaurant must be for smokers we will follow the law," said restaurant owner Nikos Koutouzis.
Close to 50 percent of the Greek population smokes and six out of ten are exposed to smoking at work, according to a European Union poll.
A law was first introduced in 2002 which prohibited smoking in hospitals, government offices, schools, and public transport, while restaurants were supposed to have non smoking areas, but it has been widely ignored or abused.
Reaction to the ban has come from various sources.
Greece's largest labour union said the ban violates the rights of workers, as offices with less than 50 employees will not have special smoke rooms but will face a total ban on smoking.
"The law infringes on the rights of workers, it does not foresee spaces for smokers so those that want to can exercise the right to smoke without their human rights being violated," Efstathios Anestis, spokesman for the General Confederation of Greek Labour, (GSEE) said.
Many doubt the law will be enforced, as smoking in Greece goes hand in hand with drinking coffee and alcohol at bars, clubs and cafes, a regular pastime for Greeks. Smokers say they will stop visiting non smoking establishments.
"I would rather stay home with friends and have a drink if I can't go somewhere where I can smoke. I think this will create a crisis with the businesses, if the law is enforced of course," said smoker Panayiotis.
Non smokers are the most sceptical that the law will not be enforced properly.
"Greeks generally don't like to be told what to do in general. They are also very lax about rules and regulations. In hospitals there is a non smoking ban for several years and yet people smoke in hospitals," said non smoker Marios Gartaganis.
Smokers breaking the law will be fined up to 500 euros, while the businesses will face fines of up to one thousand euros (1386 U.S. dollars) for the first offence, which will rise if repeated. On the third violation businesses could be banned from selling alcohol or tobacco for up to three months.
The Health Ministry is adamant the laws will be enforced, and officials have tried to convince Greeks to kick the habit through a televised campaign leading up to the ban.
Smoking-related diseases kill about 20,000 people each year in Greece, costing the country 2.14 billion euros (2.97 billion USD) a year, the Health Ministry said.
According to the Anti-Smoking Society, smoking has increased in the last ten years by 10 percent.
A 2002 survey by the European Opinion Research Group of the European Commission showed Greeks smoke an average of 23 cigarettes a day compared to an EU average of 16, the highest number of cigarettes consumed on a daily basis among EU countries. And although the price of cigarettes went up this year in Greece, packets are still quite cheap - at 3.20 euros - compared to other countries. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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