- Title: FRANCE: France bans smoking in most public places.
- Date: 1st February 2007
- Summary: NEWSPAPERS WITH ARTICLES ABOUT THE LAW NEWSPAPER HEADLINE "SMOKING: R.I.P."
- Embargoed: 16th February 2007 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: France
- Country: France
- Topics: Legal System
- Reuters ID: LVAAZ8VSECCOBL1VQR6Z7J5G7QX
- Story Text: France enacts the first part of a smoking ban which makes it illegal to light up in all public places including schools, hospitals and offices. The second phase of the ban, which extends to bars, restaurants and night clubs, goes into effect January 1, 2008.
A ban against smoking in most public places went into effect on Thursday (February 1) across France with the majority of smokers seemingly resigned to the changes.
One man told Reuters, "I don't think this law will change much because already people don't smoke in public places, I mean, like, in stores or train stations, no one really smokes there anyway."
But if most French people understand the government's arguments regarding the dangers of smoking and the need for a ban, some tourists are less pleased. A businessman from Algeria said, "I'll come less often to France. I've already boycotted Italy so it will be the same thing here. I can't stay in a place where I can't smoke, where I'm not free to smoke."
This is only the first phase of France's anti-smoking law, and smoking is still allowed in bars, restaurants and nightclubs until January 1, 2008 so while tobacconists are not particularly worried about the ban today, many fear that next year their income will go down.
One tobacco shop worker said, "I'm going to lose all the clients who come here to buy cigarettes and who won't be buying any more cigarettes because they are going to stop."
However it seems that what is bad for the tobacconist is good for her neighbour the pharmacist, where sales of anti-smoking aids are already sky-rocketing. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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