List of smoking bans
Encyclopedia
This is a list of smoking ban
s by country. Smoking bans are public policies, including criminal law
s and occupational safety and health
regulations, which prohibit tobacco smoking
in workplaces and/or other public space
s. Legislation may also define smoking as more generally being the carrying or possessing of any lit tobacco product.
Argentina introduced a full ban in public places on 1 June 2011.
The National Council decided on 10 July 2009 to lift the ban on the sale of tobacco and tobacco products while discussing the tobacco control bill.
The council, with a majority, agreed to delete the section C in chapter three of the bill, which says, “No person shall sell tobacco and tobacco products.” The council chairperson, Namgay Penjore, said that they discussed including a new clause to control the sale of tobacco and tobacco products through pricing.
Council members said that the ban on the sale was ineffective and led to a black market. Some said tobacco was easily available anywhere, but at exorbitant prices because of the ineffective ban.
“The idea is to make tobacco expensive by imposing higher taxes,” said the chairperson. The name of the bill is “Tobacco control bill” and not ‘… ban’. “The change (deleting the clause) was to do away with the thriving black market,” he said.
Meanwhile, the council also suggested inserting another clause restricting the sale of tobacco products to youth below 18 years. However, Namgay Penjore said the bill was still under discussion and not endorsed. The bill will be submitted to the National Assembly.
3 June 2010
According to the bill, people selling tobacco products will be punished for the offence of misdemeanor liable for a prison term of one to three years. Smuggling tobacco products into the country will be punished for the offence of felony of fourth degree liable for prison term of three to five years.
However, the bill was passed with 61 “yes” votes and five “no” votes.
Bhutan Narcotic Control Agency (BNCA) will serve as the secretariat of tobacco control office and its board members will also be the board members of the tobacco control board, according to Health Minister.
The tobacco control board, among other functions, will provide effective leadership and coordination in implementing the act, formulate and implement national tobacco control strategy, monitor the enforcement of the provisions under the act and approve rules framed under the act.
Health Minister said that, once His Majesty gives his assent to the bill, the rules and regulations will be drafted
within the nation has banned smoking in public buildings since 1 September 2007.
Smoking is forbidden in all enclosed public spaces, such as shopping malls and libraries, except for specifically designated smoking areas. In restaurants there should be a non smoking section but in reality most restaurants end up having tables side by side, one for non-smokers and another where smoking is allowed.
São Paulo, the most important Latin American state in economic terms, became the first in Brazil to adopt the most comprehensive ban, being followed by Rio de Janeiro and Minas Gerais. Under the new regulation there are no smoking sections in any place around the state.
The law became effective from 7 August 2009 with smoking forbidden in all indoor and enclosed public spaces such as bars and restaurants, clubs, shopping malls, movie theatres, banks, supermarkets, bakeries, chemist shops, health places, government offices and schools.
Also it is no longer allowed on work and study places, libraries, buses, cabs, commercial and residential common areas, hotels and inns.
São Paulo government has graduated 500 specialised agents to make sure the rule is respected at all times. The first team was trained to measure ambient smoke in an area and to warn smokers about the risks for their health.
Anybody violating the law is charged with a fine. Public sites can be punished with a maximum fine of R$ 1.585,00 (Brazilian currency, ~USD 932,00). If there is a second infraction the site is closed. According to surveys, 88% of São Paulo’s inhabitants support the Smoke Free Law.
, indoor smoking is banned by all territories and provinces and by the federal government. As of 2010, legislation banning smoking within each of these jurisdictions is mostly consistent, despite the separate development of legislation by each jurisdiction. The federal government's smoking ban in workplaces and on common carriers applies only to the federal government and to federally regulated businesses, such as airports. Smoking rooms are not permitted in hotels, however they are permitted in motels. Manitoba, Nova Scotia, Newfoundland and Labrador, and Ontario also banned smoking within vehicles with children under 16.
In Guangdong
Province, the municipalities of Guangzhou
and Jiangmen
banned smoking in public places in 2007, but the law is not enforced.
A new national smoking ban, which extends to all enclosed public areas, had come into effect since May 1, 2011. However enforcement of this is patchy at the best of times, especially outside developed cities like Beijing.
It is estimated that 30 percent of Croatia’s adult population are smokers. On 10 September 2009 the ban on smoking in bars and cafes in Croatia was partially repealed for a grace period until 9 April 2010, local media has reported. Proprietors with establishments that are up to 50 sq m that meet very strict conditions will now be able to choose whether to allow smoking. One of the conditions is a ventilation system that is able to change indoor air at least 10 times per hour. Until March 2010 only 16 (out of 16 000) establishments in all of Croatia have met the conditions and have been permitted to allow smoking. Larger establishments will have to include a designated and separately ventilated smoking area
.
In 1920, a Bund Deutscher Tabakgegner in der Tschechoslowakei (Federation of German Tobacco Opponents in Czechoslovakia) was formed in Prague
, after Czechoslovakia
was separated from Austria at the end of World War I.
Currently, there is a law in force that bans smoking in some public places such as institutions, hospitals, bus stops and other public service stops, but not in restaurants, bars and clubs. In June 2009 the parliament approved a bill allegedly regulating smoking in public places. However, it only requires bars and restaurants where smoking is allowed, i.e. practically all of them, to post a sign.
In February 2011, the popular initiative "stop kouření" announces, that so far 115000 people have signed their petition demanding smokefree restaurants. The high cancer rate, the poor rating concerning tobacco control and possible corruption of members of the Czech parliament are denounced.
, and all private and public workplaces has been banned. Exemptions to the law are bars with a floor space less than 40 m² and offices only used by a single employee. Separate smoking rooms are allowed in hospitality facilities as long as no food or beverage is served there. The law has caused much controversy and is as of November 2007 not fully enforced.
is more common among men and younger people in Ecuador. Smoking is common in bars and dance clubs, but non-smoking signs in restaurants in Quito
are generally respected.
s; restaurants were included in 2007. Legislation aimed towards voluntary prevention of secondary smoking was enacted, but it was not successful. Few establishments installed ventilation systems capable of eliminating secondhand smoke. Dividing a restaurant into a smoking and non-smoking section was also an ineffective measure. Thus, smoking has been banned in all indoor public and workplaces, including bars, cafes, clubs and restaurants from 1 June 2007, except in those places which have been permitted a transition period of up to two years. Smoking in bars and trains is still allowed in enclosed smoking booths, where is not permitted to serve or consume food or drink. Many smaller bars have not been able to build such smoking booths and patrons have to smoke outside. The bans are respected by the general population.
As of early 2010, Finland plans to phase out smoking completely.
Under the new regulations, smoking rooms are allowed, but are subjected to very strict conditions: they may occupy at most 20% of the total floor space of the establishment and their size may not be more than 35 m²; they need to be equipped with separate ventilation which replaces the full volume of air ten times per hour; the air pressure of the smoking room must constantly be lower than the pressure in the contiguous rooms; they must have doors that close automatically; no service can be provided in the smoking rooms; and cleaning and maintenance personnel may enter the room only one hour after it was last used for smoking.
Previously, under the former implementation rules of the 1991 Évin law, restaurants, cafés etc. just had to provide smoking and non-smoking sections, which in practice were often not well separated. In larger establishments, smoking and non-smoking sections could be separate rooms, but often they were just areas within the same room.
A legal challenge against the new regulations was filed before the Conseil d'État in 2007, but was rejected.
In February 2009, Der Spiegel
reported that the smoking bans in bars are being very weakly controlled by the authorities, and in many places the ban is not observed at all.
As of 2010, Greece is the country with the highest rate of tobacco consumption (more than 40%) in the European Union. Since older legislation was not very efficient a new, stricter law was passed. Effective from 1 September 2010, this law bans smoking and consumption of tobacco products by other means, in all working places, transportation stations, in taxis and passenger ships (in trains, buses and airplanes smoking is already prohibited), as well as in all enclosed public places including restaurants, night clubs, etc., without any exception. Casinos and bars bigger than 300 sq m will be given eight months to apply the law. This law is not enforced in Greece.
Crown dependency
. Smoking was banned in all public places in the island of Guernsey
, including workplaces, bars, clubs and restaurants, on 2 July 2006, under the "Smoking (Prohibition in Public Places and Workplaces) (Guernsey) Law 2005". Anyone who breaks the law, upon conviction, could be fined up to the maximum of £1000 (~€1150, ~$1470). Smoking is allowed anywhere outside and in whatever company.
In Alderney
, the States of Alderney
passed anti-smoking legislation with the President's casting vote on 13 January 2010; the legislation came into force at 4 am on 1 June 2010.
Smoking in indoor public places remains legal in Sark
.
An anomaly to the smoking ban is on cross-border trains between Hong Kong and Mainland China as they are operated jointly between MTR Corporation and the Chinese Railways, of whom the latter allows smoking in the restaurant car and in the vestibules at the end of the cars, but not in the seating area.
Any person who smokes or carries a lighted tobacco product in a statutory no smoking area commits an offence and is liable on summary conviction to a maximum fine of HK$5,000. Unlike many other jurisdictions, Hong Kong does not place the onus on licensees of liquor licensed premises to enforce smoking bans with subsequent loss of licence for non compliance. A new law, that was to enter into force in September 2009, provides for fixed-penalty arrangement (HK$1,500) for smoking, on a par with that for littering. At the same time smoking will be banned in designated public transport interchanges, but the government has yet to clarify how it will enforce this against non Hong Kong ID card holders and tourists, since the offender has 21 days after the ticket issue to pay up.
The overall daily smoking rate in Hong Kong is 11.8% (HK Department of Census and Statistics Household Thematic Survey 36) with 25% of males smoking whereas in China 63% of males smoke.
The government has mentioned a full-ban of tobacco import and smoking is technically possible in Hong Kong upon the release of the budget in 2009. However, as the decreasing daily smoking rate in recent years mainly due to increasing tobacco tax, the government currently has no further plans to control sales of tobacco other than by adjusting taxation.
s and underpasses. Several cities, including Budapest, have banned smoking in public transport stops. Following a decade of effective resistance by the tobacco lobbies, a complete ban (all public spaces countrywide, including workplaces and restaurants) is effective from January 2012.
The Cable Television Network (Regulation) Amendment Bill, in force since 8 September 2000, completely prohibits cigarette and alcohol advertisements.
In 2007, Chandigarh
became the first city in India to become 'smoke-free'. However despite there being some difficulties and apathy by the authorities the Smoke-Free Chandigarh ban has been a success story. Taking a cue from the Chandigarh's success, cities like Shimla also followed the Smoke-Free Chandigarh model to become smoke-free. The success of Chandigarh had been widely recognised and the architect of smoke-free Chandigarh Hemant Goswami
. was also awarded the Global Smoke-Free Partnership Award for the initiative. The state of Kerala
also had implemented a more relaxed ban on public smoking earlier though it was never properly followed. However since the nationwide ban, it is being enforced more strictly.
's restaurants, hotels, office buildings, airports and public transport, and overall public areas smoking is banned. Restaurants which want to allow smoking have to provide a separate smoking space starting 4 February 2006. As in many Asian nations, it remains to be seen whether it can be enforced. Building separate facilities for smokers had only taken place in half of establishments by June 2007.
On 1 July 2009, Ireland banned in-store tobacco advertising
and displays of tobacco products at retail outlets and new controls on tobacco vending machine
s.
ban is similar to the one introduced in England. The ban came into effect on 30 March 2008.
The smoking ban also saw Europe's first smoke-free prison.
In spite of all of this, the smoking bans in Israel are not altogether effective and smoking remains quite prevalent in pubs, bars and clubs. In 2011 Israel approved a new law banning smoking in train stations, bus stops, and prohibits the sale of tobacco products in automatic machines.
Smoking is also forbidden in all enclosed workplaces – this includes also trains and underground stations.
It is indeed allowed to smoke outdoors, which means that since Italy has sunny weather more than half of the year, people can still smoke at restaurants and bars as long as they sit on the outside tables and people still smoke there.
groups, there are a growing number of local ordinances banning smoking. Smoking is forbidden on the streets of the Chiyoda
, Shinagawa
, Shinjuku
and Nakano
wards of Tokyo for reasons of child safety (not health). Smoking is banned on most public transport and on many train station platforms, however enforcement mechanisms such as fines remain absent. Kanagawa Prefecture
has implemented in April 2010 the nation's first prefecture-wide smoking ban, banning smoking in public facilities, including hospitals, schools and government offices. The ordinance requires large restaurants and hotels to choose whether to become nonsmoking or create separate smoking areas, while mah-jong and pachinko
parlors, restaurants with floor space of up to 100 sq. meters and hotels of up to 700 sq. meters are merely required to "make efforts" to prevent passive smoking. Another Kanagawa ordinance last month to ban smoking at swimming beaches expected to be implemented in May 2010. Although still relatively few, there is a growing number of private businesses implementing smoking bans in restaurants, taxis, buildings and bars.
(a British
Crown dependency
).
The Restriction on Smoking (Jersey) Law 1973 enabled the States of Jersey
to pass regulations prohibiting or restricting smoking in places of entertainment and public transport. In pursuance of this law, smoking was banned on public transport by the Smoking (Public Transport) (Jersey) Regulations 1982.
The Restriction on Smoking (Jersey) Law 1973 was amended by the Restriction on Smoking (Amendment No. 2) (Jersey) Law 2006 adopted 16 May 2006 which enabled the States to make regulations to prohibit or restrict smoking tobacco or a substance (or a mixture of substances) other than tobacco, or the use of tobacco, in a workplace or other defined places.
Enforcing the smoking ban appears to be somewhat problematic as far as public bus services are concerned. While smoking by passengers on the public bus services was never an issue, bus operators on duty were being consistently reported as smoking inside the bus vehicles and persistently ignoring requests by the passengers not to do so.
, Kenya, since July 2007. Small private bars will be exempted. Mombasa
already has a similar preexisting ban on smoking.
Recently some municipalities, for example, Ozolnieku novads, have banned smoking on balconies and by an open window in apartment blocks and others multi-storey buildings.
Smoking is not banned only in people's homes, at open spaces and public areas free of sporting competitions, cultural and entertainment events, gatherings and other public events.
you have to be 18
Starting 1 June 2010, it is an offence to smoke at private office spaces with central air-conditioning. People who violate the rules can be fined up to RM10,000 (US$3,333), or two years of imprisonment.
Since April 2008 the law has covered Mexico City, and since 28 August 2008 the law has been extended nationwide.
Advertisement of tobacco products has been banned from TV and radio for roughly 6 years.
The bill was voted into law on 16 February 2010
The Tobacco Control and Regulation Act-2068 was signed by President Dr.Ram Baran Yadav on April 29.
The Act includes provisions for officials to inspect implementation of the new law. A fine of Rs 100-100,000 will be slapped on anyone who smokes in public places or sells tobacco products to people below 18 or to pregnant women.
(marijuana and hashish) in coffee-shops is permitted as long as it is not mixed with tobacco. In 2010 the new government spoke out against the smoking ban in small
catering businesses. The ban was widely ignored with statistics showing that around 41% of bars and discos had flouted the law. On 3 November 2010 the new government lifted the ban for bars of 70 square metres or less which did not employ any staff other than the owner. Around 3,000 of the 5,500 bars in The Netherlands are staffed by the owner alone.
in Wellington, New Zealand, in 1876. This was over concerns about the threat of fire, as it is the second largest wooden building in the world.
New Zealand passed an amendment to the Smoke-free Environments Act 1990 law on 3 December 2003 (effective in 2004) which covers all indoor public workplaces and inside hospitality venues (pubs, bars, restaurants and casinos). Studies have shown very high levels of compliance with the law. Also the air quality inside hospitality venues is very good compared to similar settings in other countries where smoking is still permitted. In New Zealand, tobacco cannot be sold to anyone under 18. However, unlike alcohol
, it is still legal for a minor to buy, consume, or publicly possess tobacco, so no sanctions are placed upon the under-age smokers themselves.
Outdoor smoke-free laws cover the grounds of all schools, the grounds of some hospitals, stadiums and two university campuses (Massey University, and the University of Auckland, in 2010). Victoria University of Wellington has restricted smoking rules with specified areas in which one may smoke. The government has not moved to restrict smoking in cars but has run mass media campaigns that promote smoke-free cars and homes.
There are also increasing numbers of local councils implementing educative smokefree policies. South Taranaki District Council was the first. In May 2005 the Council made its playgrounds, parks and swimming pools smokefree, as well as ensuring that all Council events held in South Taranaki parks were to be promoted as smoke-free events and in May 2006 the Upper Hutt
city council followed suit and declared all "open areas for which members ofthe public gather" (i.e. parks, playgrounds, pools) smoke-free however this by-law lacks in enforcement other than a polite request by city council officials and Security Guards (rather than confisacation and court penalty). At least 19 of New Zealand's other Councils have followed suit. (Source: www.smokefreecouncils.org.nz).
On 5 September 2007, Action on Smoking and Health
(ASH) New Zealand called for the removal of tobacco from sale by 2017. however with current legislation and (lack of) law enforcement (as they do with alcohol
this demand seems more of a pipe dream
From the start of the first semester of 2010, New Zealand's largest university, the University of Auckland
, banned smoking on any of its property including inside and outside of buildings in areas that were once designated smoking areas. The university sprawls through most of Symonds Street and is the largest private complex in Auckland CBD.
s, whilst there is also the possibility of a prison term.
, Nigeria, and is punishable by a fine of not less than N200 and not exceeding N1000 or to imprisonment to a term of not less than one month and not exceeding two years or to both such fine and imprisonment.
-led Islamist government of Gaza
imposed a ban on women smoking nargila
s in public. A spokesman for the Interior Ministry explained that "It is inappropriate for a woman to sit cross-legged and smoke in public. It harms the image of our people." The ban was soon lifted and women returned to smoking in popular venues like the cafe of Gaza's Crazy Water Park
. The Committee for the Propagation of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice (Gaza Strip)
has arrested women for smoking in public. The park was burned down by masked men in September 2010, after being closed by the Hamas
.
The law had the following aspects:
Ban on tobacco use in public buildings and transportation,
limiting tobacco advertising,
banning tobacco sale within 50 meters from educational institutions, and
requiring “no smoking” signs displayed in public places.
has banned smoking in a large number of public places, including public buildings, entertainment venues, hospitals, shopping malls, concerts since 2002. Smoking at gasoline stations is also banned.
Manila
has banned smoking in large public areas like hospitals, malls, public transport, as well as Makati in 2002 Ordinance 2002-090, banning all public transport and enclosed indoor smoking.
Caloocan has begun to established ordinance recently concerning about the anti-smoking bans in accordance with the Republic Act No. 9211 also known as Tobacco Regulation Act of 2003.
Four jurisdictions have somefree regulations including bars and restaurants, albeit with designated smoking rooms permitted: Davao City
, Makati City
, Legazpi and Talisayan.
Tobacco companies have misrepresented the science on secondhand smoke and have successfully prevented policies from being introduced at national level. There is also evidence that the tobacco industry
is lobbying against local smokefree laws.
Since 1 January 2011, it is forbidden to smoke in all public indoor spaces, including bars, cafés, restaurants and discos, though enclosed smoking areas within facilities are permitted.
, banned smoking in public or closed areas in 2002. The law discouraged shopkeepers from selling to under-aged people and completely banned tobacco advertisements in the country and punished violaters with hefty fines. However, the law is openly flouted especially by the youth.
The legislation, passed by the State Duma 406-0, bans smoking in workplaces, on aircraft, trains and municipal transport as well as in schools, hospitals, cultural institutions and government buildings. It requires specially designated smoking areas to be set up and also requires restaurants and cafes to set up no-smoking areas. Russia's no smoking bill must go through two more readings in the Duma before being sent to the Federation Council for approval and to President Dmitry Medvedev for his signature.
Smoking was banned in hawker centres, coffee-shops, cafes and fast-food outlets beginning 1 July 2006. For establishments with an outdoor area, 10–20% of the area can be set aside for smoking, although they would have to be clearly marked to avoid confusion. Gradually, the ban has been extended to bus interchanges and shelters, public toilets and public swimming complexes.
On 1 July 2007, the ban was extended to entertainment nightspots. The rule allows for the construction of designated smoking rooms which can take up to 10% of the total indoor space.
On 1 January 2009, the ban was extended to all children's playgrounds, exercise areas, markets, underground and multi-storey carparks, ferry terminals and jetties. It was also extended to non-air conditioned areas in offices, factories, shops, shopping complexes and lift lobbies.
Smokers found flouting the rules are fined S$200 while the owners of the establishments are fined S$200 and S$500 for a subsequent offence.
On 22 November 2010, the Towards Tobacco-Free Singapore online campaign was launched to support the initiative to phase out tobacco in Singapore by preventing the supply of tobacco to Singaporeans born from the year 2000. The initiative was put forward by a team consisting of a lung cancer surgeon, medical officers, a university professor and a civil servant. The proposal has received strong public support and has attracted media interest.
As of 2011, no-smoking enforcement has not been effective as the enforcement officers are few and sporadically make checks. Furthermore, smokers will light up again when these enforcement officers leave the premise.
Link to Section on Proposed ban in Singapore
There is also limitation on outdoor smoking. Especially around train and bus stations and close to entrance of government buildings. For compliance of this law is responsible local police force.
But because of corruption and ineffective legislative existing laws are not respected.
The smoking chambers, which will have to meet strict technical standards, will however not be allowed to occupy more than 20% of an establishment." The law also raised the minimum age to purchase tobacco products from 15 to 18 and mandated that tobacco labels carry the telephone number of a quit-smoking hotline.
in 1993 and started implementing the act in 1995. The act regulated smoking in public areas and prohibited tobacco sales to people under the age of 16. Some aspects of tobacco advertising were also regulated for example labelling. The 1993 act was not considered to be comprehensive enough and the Tobacco Products Control Amendment Act was passed in 1999. This act bans all advertising and promotion of tobacco products, including sponsorship and free distribution of tobacco products. The act also restricts smoking in public places which includes the workplace, restaurants and bars and public transport. The act also stipulates penalties for transgressors of the law, and specifies the maximum permissible levels of tar
and nicotine
. The regulations were implemented in 2001.
The government proposed further amendments to the bill in 2007 which will seek to deal with new practices designed to circumvent the provisions of the Act. These amendments will also aim to bring the current law into compliance
with the World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC). This framework has been ratified by the South African government.
The South African government is currently looking at increasing the minimum legal age for smokers to 18.
After 2 January 2011, smoking is banned in every indoors public place, including restaurants, bars and cafes. Hotels may have 30% of smoking rooms; mental hospitals, jails and old people's residences may have public rooms where workers cannot enter. Outdoor smoking is also banned in childcare facilities, in children's playparks and around schools and hospital facilities.
Establishments can be closed by the authorities for repeatedly violating the smoking ban, as happened for the first time on 10 February 2011 in Marbella
.
banned smoking indoors in prisons.
Until the ban came into force, each canton
determined its own smoking laws. As of June 2009, all cantons, with the exception of Zurich
, Appenzell Innerrhoden
, Glarus
, Jura
, Obwalden
and Schaffhausen
, have banned smoking in enclosed public areas (although restaurants are exempt in Lucerne
and Nidwalden
). The details of the restrictions vary somewhat, and in several cantons the bans will not enter into force until some time between 2009 and 2012. The ban in Geneva
came into force on 31 October 2009.
, fines for violating the ban range from 500 to 100,000 Syrian pounds (US$11 to $2,169).
A decree in 1996 banned tobacco advertising while a 2006 law outlawed smoking on public transport and in some public places, introducing fines for offenders. Under-18s are not allowed to buy tobacco.
On 10 January 2008, Thailand announced that smoking would be banned in restaurants, bars, and open-air markets effective 10 February 2008. In addition to fines, those who fail to comply may be arrested. Most legal bars comply with these regulations, but in establishments that operate illegally or semi-legally the bans are mostly disregarded.
Smoking was first banned in 1997 in public buildings with more than four workers, as well as planes and public buses.
On 3 January 2008, Turkey passed a law banning smoking in all indoor spaces including bars, cafés and restaurants. It also bans smoking in sports stadia
, and the gardens of mosques and hospitals. The smoking ban came into force on 19 May 2008; however, bars, restaurants and cafes were exempted until mid-July 2009. On 19 July 2009, Turkey extended the indoor public smoking ban to include bars, restaurants, village coffeehouse
s and nargile (hookah) bars.
, Ajman
, Dubai
and Sharjah.
acting for England. For details, see (in chronological order of bans): Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and England.
and the House of Lords
agreed to ban all smoking in the Palace of Westminster
. The on-the-spot fine for smoking in a workplace is £50 (~€70/~$100), £30 (~€45/~$60) if one pays within 15 days, while a business that allows it can be fined £2,500 (~€3,700/~$5,000). Smoking will be allowed to continue anywhere outdoors. However, a confidential government briefing obtained by The Independent on Sunday newspaper reveals that provisions are in place for extending the ban to outdoor areas.
, a smoking ban has been in effect since 30 April 2007. It is illegal to smoke in all enclosed workplaces. This includes bars, restaurants, offices (even if the smoker is the only person in the office) and public buildings.
Like Scotland, the smoking ban is more comprehensive in that places, such as phone boxes and enclosed bus/train shelters are included. The on-the-spot fine for smoking in a workplace is £50 (~€70/~$100), while a business that allows it can be fined £2,500 (~€3,700/~$5,000).
A £200 fine may be levied by local councils if businesses fail to show signs.
An opinion poll showed that 91% of people supported the ban.
As in New Zealand, the ban was initially criticised by certain interested groups (e.g., publicans, cafe and bingo hall owners, etc.) who feared that it would adversely impact their businesses. A survey published by the Scottish Beer & Pubs Association one year on from the ban concluded that "the number of pub licensed premises in Scotland has remained more or less constant over the last year" indicating fears of an adverse impact of the ban on the hospitality industry were unfounded. Widespread concerns prior to the ban about its impact on bingo halls prove harder to objectively assess: As at May 2008 there is anecdotal evidence to suggest an increase in closures of bingo halls since implementation of the ban. However, no statistical analysis has been conducted and speculation within the betting and gaming industry is that a decline could also be the result of demographic changes and increases in online gaming.
The NHS Scotland
Quit Smoking Line reported it received an additional 50,000 calls from people wishing to give up in the six months after the ban was introduced. In September 2007 a study of nine Scottish hospitals over the twelve months following the ban reported positively on its impact on the country's health, including a 17% drop in admissions for heart attacks, compared with average reductions of 3% per year for the previous decade.
Public places must display a special bilingual no smoking sign:
introduced in 2003 a total ban on smoking at United Nations Headquarters
. Similar bans have not been introduced in field offices of the United Nations worldwide.
Some specialized agencies of the United Nations, such as the United Nations Children's Fund and the World Health Organization
have their own strict smoking bans which apply to their offices worldwide, but the same is not necessarily true for entities of the Secretariat, such as the Department of Peacekeeping Operations
and the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA)
. Only on 13 December 2007, OCHA introduced a smoking ban applicable to all its field offices.
has not attempted to enact any nationwide federal
smoking ban. Therefore, smoking bans in the United States are entirely a product of state and local
criminal
and occupational safety and health
laws. As a result, the existence and aggressiveness of smoking bans varies widely throughout the United States, ranging from total smoking bans (even outdoors), to no regulation of smoking at all. Jurisdictions in the greater South
tend to have the least restrictive smoking bans or no statewide smoking bans at all. Of the 60 most populated cities in the United States, all but 17 are under some form of smoking ban covering all bars and restaurants.
According to Americans for Nonsmokers' Rights, as of April 2011, 79.4% of the U.S. population lives under a ban on smoking in "workplaces, and/or restaurants, and/or bars, by either a state, commonwealth, or local law," though only 47.9% live under bans in all workplaces and restaurants and bars.
As of April 2011, 27 states have enacted smoking bans in all general workplaces and public places, including bars and restaurants (though many of these exempt tobacconists, cigar bars, casinos, private clubs, and/or small workplaces). Six have enacted smoking bans that exclude all adult venues such as bars (and casinos where applicable). Georgia
, Idaho
, Nevada
, New Hampshire
, North Carolina
, and Virginia
have particularized state laws banning smoking in specific places but leaving out all others. The remaining 11 states have no statewide smoking ban at all, though many cities and/or counties in those states have enacted local smoking bans to varying degrees (except Oklahoma
, which prohibits local governments from regulating smoking at all).
As for U.S. jurisdictions that are not states, as of April 2011 smoking is banned in all public places (including bars and restaurants) in American Samoa
, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico
and United States Virgin Islands
. Guam
prohibits smoking in restaurants, but not in any other workplaces. The Northern Mariana Islands
prohibits smoking in most workplaces and in restaurants but no smoking bans in bars.
Anti-smoking groups estimate that as many as a third of Uruguay's 3.4 million people smoke. President
Tabaré Vázquez
, a practicing oncologist, has cited reports suggesting about seven people die each day in Uruguay (an estimated 5,000 people a year) from smoking-related causes including lung cancer, emphysema and other illnesses.
became effective which banned smoking on all places accessible to the public and in all closed places of work within the Vatican City and within all extraterritorial properties of the Holy See
. Smoking bans in museums, libraries and churches on Vatican territory were already in force before that date for a long time.
introduced a ban on smoking in all enclosed public and commercial spaces, including malls, restaurants, bars, discos, workplaces, etc.
The owners or managers of the establishments where smoking is banned, must post a notice measuring 80 cm. (31.5 inches) wide and 50 cm (19.7 inches) high; The poster should contain an international smoking ban pictogram and the following text: "Este es un ambiente 100% libre de humo de tabaco, por resolución del ministerio del poder popular para la salud" (This is a 100% Smoke-free environment, by resolution of the Ministry of Popular Power for Health), owners or managers also have the obligation to ensure compliance with this rule.
Owners or managers that do not post the notice or do not ensure compliance with the rule may be penalized with the closure of the establishment and / or a fine that can be up to 190,000 VEF (44,186.05 USD), however, regulation does not provide sanctions for smokers.
To see the notice that should be posted Click Here
To see the official publication of the law Click Here
in 2005 with the exception of entertainment areas.
A ban has also been imposed on all forms of advertisement, trade promotion, and sponsorship by tobacco companies, as well as cigarette sales through vending machines, or over the telephone and on the Internet.
.
New Caledonia
is likely to introduce restrictions on smoking in public places following a recent 25-nation global air-quality monitoring initiative.
Niue
is considering banning tobacco completely, and is seeking the cooperation of Australia and New Zealand to ensure that no tobacco can be imported into the country.
Singapore citizens launched an online campaign to support the proposal to prevent the supply of tobacco to Singaporeans born from the year 2000.
Smoking ban
Smoking bans are public policies, including criminal laws and occupational safety and health regulations, which prohibit tobacco smoking in workplaces and/or other public spaces...
s by country. Smoking bans are public policies, including criminal law
Criminal law
Criminal law, is the body of law that relates to crime. It might be defined as the body of rules that defines conduct that is not allowed because it is held to threaten, harm or endanger the safety and welfare of people, and that sets out the punishment to be imposed on people who do not obey...
s and occupational safety and health
Occupational safety and health
Occupational safety and health is a cross-disciplinary area concerned with protecting the safety, health and welfare of people engaged in work or employment. The goal of all occupational safety and health programs is to foster a safe work environment...
regulations, which prohibit tobacco smoking
Tobacco smoking
Tobacco smoking is the practice where tobacco is burned and the resulting smoke is inhaled. The practice may have begun as early as 5000–3000 BCE. Tobacco was introduced to Eurasia in the late 16th century where it followed common trade routes...
in workplaces and/or other public space
Public space
A public space is a social space such as a town square that is open and accessible to all, regardless of gender, race, ethnicity, age or socio-economic level. One of the earliest examples of public spaces are commons. For example, no fees or paid tickets are required for entry, nor are the entrants...
s. Legislation may also define smoking as more generally being the carrying or possessing of any lit tobacco product.
Albania
A law went into effect on 30 May 2007 banning smoking in closed public areas and outlawing the advertisement of tobacco. The measure has been largely ineffective and not enforced.Andorra
Since 2004, smoking is banned in government buildings, educational facilities, hospitals, enclosed sport facilities and buses. In 2010, an increase in restrictions at restaurants, bars, and workplaces was under discussion.Argentina
A 2006 smoking ban in Buenos Aires city prohibits smoking in public areas including bars and restaurants except if the bar is more than 100 m2 where it is possible to provide an area for smoking customers. Similar bans in other Argentine cities require bigger establishments to provide a separate, contained area for smoking customers.Argentina introduced a full ban in public places on 1 June 2011.
Armenia
A law went into effect in March 2005 banning smoking in hospitals, cultural and educational and mental institutions and on public transportation. On 1 March 2006 new rules came into effect requiring all public and private institutions, including bars and restaurants, to allow smoking only in special secluded areas. Absence of any legal sanctions against those who violate the smoking laws have made them completely ineffectual.Australia
In Australia smoking bans are determined on a state-by-state basis. In chronological order by state:- South Australia: Smoking prohibited in all indoor dining areas since January 1999. Total enclosed public place smoking ban in force since November 2007
- Western Australia: Incremental restrictions introduced from January 2005 with a total ban on smoking in all enclosed public spaces taking effect from July 2006
- Tasmania: Total indoor smoking ban in force since January 2006 . From January 2008 the ban was extended to include smoking in cars with passengers under the age of 18
- Queensland: Comprehensive ban in effect since July 2006. Smoking is prohibited in all pubs, clubs, restaurants and workplaces, commercial outdoor eating and drinking areas, outdoor public places, and within 4 metres of non-residential building entrances
- Australian Capital Territory: A ban on smoking in enclosed public places has been in effect since December 2006
- Victoria: : A ban on smoking in enclosed public places has been in effect since July 2007. It is also an offence to smoke in a vehicle where there is a person under the age of 18 present, since January 2010.
- New South Wales: A ban on smoking in all enclosed areas of restaurants, licensed clubs and pubs came into force in July 2007. From 1 July 2009, smoking in a car with a child under the age of 16 is against the law. The Public Health (Tobacco) Act 2008 creates a new offence of smoking in a car with a child under 16 years of age in the vehicle. A $250 on the spot fine applies to the driver and any passenger who breaks the law and this will be enforced by NSW Police.
- Northern Territory: A ban on smoking in all enclosed areas of restaurants, licensed clubs and pubs came into force in 2 January 2010.
Austria
Austria has implemented several laws which limit or outlaw smoking in certain areas:- Smoking is prohibited in all offices with certain exceptions such as bars, discos, restaurants etc. If all employees agree on allowing smoking in a work place, smoking may continue.
- Smoking was banned from all trains and train stations when Germany introduced such a ban in 2007.
- As of January 2009, a new law was put in place which mandates all restaurants, bars, discos and pubs which are larger than 80m² to introduce smoking rooms and non-smoking rooms. Below 50m² the owner may opt to either be a smoking or non-smoking place, between 50m² and 80m² there is an option under certain circumstances. The law provided for a long transition phase ending July 2010. The ban is highly controversial and routinely flouted.
Belgium
- 2005: Companies should have implemented smoking plans to discourage smoking.
- January 2006: Smoking prohibited in the work area.
- January 2007: Smoking banned in restaurants and bars, except in the ones that serve "light meals" (e.g. cold meals, pizzas and warm meals that are served with bread instead of French fries) and have less of 30% of their sales from food servings. Small bars are also not included in the ban. Most large bars, such as concert venues, do little to enforce the ban.
- September 2008: Smoking no longer allowed in schools.
- January 2010: After a general smoking ban, including all types of bars had been discussed, this has been watered down to a smoking ban applying only when food is served.
- July 2011: On 15 March 2011, Belgium's Constitutional Court ruled that the discrimination between bars serving food and those not serving food (and casinos) distorted competition and that, as a consequence, the exemption for the latter has to end by July 2011, thus making Belgium's bars, restaurants and casinos smokefree without exemptions.
Bermuda
As of 1 October 2006, all enclosed workplaces in Bermuda are smoke-free, including restaurants, bars, private clubs and hotels.Bhutan
Following a resolution of the 87th session of the National Assembly on 17 December 2004, a national ban on the sale of tobacco and tobacco products went into effect, but importing limited tobacco would still be permitted with very heavy taxes. Smoking in all public places in Bhutan became illegal on 22 February 2005. It thus became the first nation in the world to outlaw this practice outright. However, there is little enforcement. Cigarettes are widely smuggled, and bars in the Bhutanese capital Thimphu are usually smoky.The National Council decided on 10 July 2009 to lift the ban on the sale of tobacco and tobacco products while discussing the tobacco control bill.
The council, with a majority, agreed to delete the section C in chapter three of the bill, which says, “No person shall sell tobacco and tobacco products.” The council chairperson, Namgay Penjore, said that they discussed including a new clause to control the sale of tobacco and tobacco products through pricing.
Council members said that the ban on the sale was ineffective and led to a black market. Some said tobacco was easily available anywhere, but at exorbitant prices because of the ineffective ban.
“The idea is to make tobacco expensive by imposing higher taxes,” said the chairperson. The name of the bill is “Tobacco control bill” and not ‘… ban’. “The change (deleting the clause) was to do away with the thriving black market,” he said.
Meanwhile, the council also suggested inserting another clause restricting the sale of tobacco products to youth below 18 years. However, Namgay Penjore said the bill was still under discussion and not endorsed. The bill will be submitted to the National Assembly.
3 June 2010
According to the bill, people selling tobacco products will be punished for the offence of misdemeanor liable for a prison term of one to three years. Smuggling tobacco products into the country will be punished for the offence of felony of fourth degree liable for prison term of three to five years.
However, the bill was passed with 61 “yes” votes and five “no” votes.
Bhutan Narcotic Control Agency (BNCA) will serve as the secretariat of tobacco control office and its board members will also be the board members of the tobacco control board, according to Health Minister.
The tobacco control board, among other functions, will provide effective leadership and coordination in implementing the act, formulate and implement national tobacco control strategy, monitor the enforcement of the provisions under the act and approve rules framed under the act.
Health Minister said that, once His Majesty gives his assent to the bill, the rules and regulations will be drafted
Bosnia and Herzegovina
The Federation of Bosnia and HerzegovinaFederation of Bosnia and Herzegovina
The Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina is one of the two political entities that compose the sovereign country of Bosnia and Herzegovina . The two entities are delineated by the Inter-Entity Boundary Line...
within the nation has banned smoking in public buildings since 1 September 2007.
Brazil
In Brazil, the sale and consumption of tobacco for 18 years older citizens is legal. However, product advertising on television and radio is prohibited. Tobacco advertising is restricted to posters in shops. All cigarette packs contain advertisements against smoking and government warnings about possible adverse health effects.Smoking is forbidden in all enclosed public spaces, such as shopping malls and libraries, except for specifically designated smoking areas. In restaurants there should be a non smoking section but in reality most restaurants end up having tables side by side, one for non-smokers and another where smoking is allowed.
São Paulo, the most important Latin American state in economic terms, became the first in Brazil to adopt the most comprehensive ban, being followed by Rio de Janeiro and Minas Gerais. Under the new regulation there are no smoking sections in any place around the state.
The law became effective from 7 August 2009 with smoking forbidden in all indoor and enclosed public spaces such as bars and restaurants, clubs, shopping malls, movie theatres, banks, supermarkets, bakeries, chemist shops, health places, government offices and schools.
Also it is no longer allowed on work and study places, libraries, buses, cabs, commercial and residential common areas, hotels and inns.
São Paulo government has graduated 500 specialised agents to make sure the rule is respected at all times. The first team was trained to measure ambient smoke in an area and to warn smokers about the risks for their health.
Anybody violating the law is charged with a fine. Public sites can be punished with a maximum fine of R$ 1.585,00 (Brazilian currency, ~USD 932,00). If there is a second infraction the site is closed. According to surveys, 88% of São Paulo’s inhabitants support the Smoke Free Law.
Bulgaria
Banned in 2010 for all indoor public spaces except bars, restaurants and clubs. Will introduce a full ban, if approved, by 2013/2014.Canada
In CanadaSmoking in Canada
Smoking in Canada is banned in indoor public spaces and workplaces , by all territories and provinces, and by the federal government. As of 2010, legislation banning smoking within each of these jurisdictions is mostly consistent, despite the separate development of legislation by each jurisdiction...
, indoor smoking is banned by all territories and provinces and by the federal government. As of 2010, legislation banning smoking within each of these jurisdictions is mostly consistent, despite the separate development of legislation by each jurisdiction. The federal government's smoking ban in workplaces and on common carriers applies only to the federal government and to federally regulated businesses, such as airports. Smoking rooms are not permitted in hotels, however they are permitted in motels. Manitoba, Nova Scotia, Newfoundland and Labrador, and Ontario also banned smoking within vehicles with children under 16.
Chile
Chile bans smoking in schools, hospitals, government offices, shopping centres, supermarkets, pharmacies, airports, buses, subway networks and other indoor public places. Smoking in universities indoors is banned, however, smoking is allowed outdoors. Restaurants, with large eateries (over 100 m²) must have fully partitioned nonsmoking sections. Smaller restaurants can choose between being smoke free or being for smokers. The same with cafes and pubs. Clubs, despite their size, are able to choose between being smoke free or being for smokers, however, in practice all clubs are "for smokers".China
Shanghai Municipality expanded smoking bans from hospitals to kindergartens, schools, libraries and stadiums, effective 1 March 2010, and had attempted to ban smoking in restaurants for the 2010 World Expo, but restaurants do not stick to the ban and it is not enforced.In Guangdong
Guangdong
Guangdong is a province on the South China Sea coast of the People's Republic of China. The province was previously often written with the alternative English name Kwangtung Province...
Province, the municipalities of Guangzhou
Guangzhou
Guangzhou , known historically as Canton or Kwangchow, is the capital and largest city of the Guangdong province in the People's Republic of China. Located in southern China on the Pearl River, about north-northwest of Hong Kong, Guangzhou is a key national transportation hub and trading port...
and Jiangmen
Jiangmen
Jiangmen , is a prefecture-level city in Guangdong province in southern China with a population of about 4.48 million in 2010. The 3 urban districts are now part of Guangzhou - Shenzhen built up area.-Names:...
banned smoking in public places in 2007, but the law is not enforced.
A new national smoking ban, which extends to all enclosed public areas, had come into effect since May 1, 2011. However enforcement of this is patchy at the best of times, especially outside developed cities like Beijing.
Colombia
In summer 2009, Colombia has extended its existing tobacco control regulations by requiring all indoor work places and public places be immediately smoke-free; prohibiting tobacco advertising, promotions and sponsorship, and the use of terms such as ‘light’ and ‘mild’ on packaging, requiring large, pictorial health warnings on tobacco packaging (covering 30 per cent of the front and back) within a year, preventing the sale of tobacco products to minors; and mandating public education programs on the deadly effects of tobacco use.Croatia
On 22 November 2008 the Croatian Parliament passed legislation prohibiting smoking in public institutions such as hospitals, clinics, schools, nurseries and universities with infractions punishable with up to 1000 kuna (140 euros). A notable exception in the Act are psychiatric wards in Croatia's hospitals. The ban went further in May 2009 when smoking was banned in all enclosed public areas including bars, restaurants and cafes. The smoking ban applies to all public areas where non-smokers could suffer from secondhand smoking including open public areas like sport stadiums, arenas, open air theatres, tram and bus stations etc.It is estimated that 30 percent of Croatia’s adult population are smokers. On 10 September 2009 the ban on smoking in bars and cafes in Croatia was partially repealed for a grace period until 9 April 2010, local media has reported. Proprietors with establishments that are up to 50 sq m that meet very strict conditions will now be able to choose whether to allow smoking. One of the conditions is a ventilation system that is able to change indoor air at least 10 times per hour. Until March 2010 only 16 (out of 16 000) establishments in all of Croatia have met the conditions and have been permitted to allow smoking. Larger establishments will have to include a designated and separately ventilated smoking area
Cuba
Cuba has banned smoking in most work places, cigarette machines removed and it has been illegal to sell tobacco products close to schools since February 2005.Cyprus
On 9 July 2009 Cyprus passed a new law, tightening up ineffective 2002 legislation, that will ban smoking in bars, restaurants, nightclubs and workplaces effective 1 January 2010. Since the introduction of the smoking ban on 1 January 2010, compliance levels have been discouraging mainly due to a lack of enforcement by the police. A spokesman for the restaurant & bar owners however have complained that the introduction of the smoking ban has led to a sharp drop in revenue but produced no evidence to support statement.Czech Republic
The second German anti-tobacco organization, the Bund Deutscher Tabakgegner (Federation of German Tobacco Opponents), was established in 1910 in Trautenau, BohemiaBohemia
Bohemia is a historical region in central Europe, occupying the western two-thirds of the traditional Czech Lands. It is located in the contemporary Czech Republic with its capital in Prague...
.
In 1920, a Bund Deutscher Tabakgegner in der Tschechoslowakei (Federation of German Tobacco Opponents in Czechoslovakia) was formed in Prague
Prague
Prague is the capital and largest city of the Czech Republic. Situated in the north-west of the country on the Vltava river, the city is home to about 1.3 million people, while its metropolitan area is estimated to have a population of over 2.3 million...
, after Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia or Czecho-Slovakia was a sovereign state in Central Europe which existed from October 1918, when it declared its independence from the Austro-Hungarian Empire, until 1992...
was separated from Austria at the end of World War I.
Currently, there is a law in force that bans smoking in some public places such as institutions, hospitals, bus stops and other public service stops, but not in restaurants, bars and clubs. In June 2009 the parliament approved a bill allegedly regulating smoking in public places. However, it only requires bars and restaurants where smoking is allowed, i.e. practically all of them, to post a sign.
In February 2011, the popular initiative "stop kouření" announces, that so far 115000 people have signed their petition demanding smokefree restaurants. The high cancer rate, the poor rating concerning tobacco control and possible corruption of members of the Czech parliament are denounced.
Denmark
Since 15 August 2007, smoking in hospitality facilities, restaurants, bars, clubs, public transportPublic transport
Public transport is a shared passenger transportation service which is available for use by the general public, as distinct from modes such as taxicab, car pooling or hired buses which are not shared by strangers without private arrangement.Public transport modes include buses, trolleybuses, trams...
, and all private and public workplaces has been banned. Exemptions to the law are bars with a floor space less than 40 m² and offices only used by a single employee. Separate smoking rooms are allowed in hospitality facilities as long as no food or beverage is served there. The law has caused much controversy and is as of November 2007 not fully enforced.
Ecuador
SmokingSmoking in Ecuador
Smoking in Ecuador is more common among men and younger people. More than half of Ecuadorian smokers desire to quit. The Government of Ecuador plans to reduce second-hand smoke in public spaces by 2012. The tobacco industry in Ecuador includes the major players of Tabacalera Andina SA and British...
is more common among men and younger people in Ecuador. Smoking is common in bars and dance clubs, but non-smoking signs in restaurants in Quito
Quito
San Francisco de Quito, most often called Quito , is the capital city of Ecuador in northwestern South America. It is located in north-central Ecuador in the Guayllabamba river basin, on the eastern slopes of Pichincha, an active stratovolcano in the Andes mountains...
are generally respected.
Estonia
Smoking has been banned within indoor public areas and workplaces since 4 June 2005, except in restaurants. Later a ban on smoking in bars, restaurants, coffee shops and nightclubs started on 5 June 2007 (however still allowed in isolated smoking rooms).Finland
Smoking has been banned in indoor public areas and workplaces from 1 March 1995, except in specially designated smoking roomSmoking room
A Smoking room is a room which is specifically provided and furnished for smoking, generally in buildings where smoking is otherwise prohibited....
s; restaurants were included in 2007. Legislation aimed towards voluntary prevention of secondary smoking was enacted, but it was not successful. Few establishments installed ventilation systems capable of eliminating secondhand smoke. Dividing a restaurant into a smoking and non-smoking section was also an ineffective measure. Thus, smoking has been banned in all indoor public and workplaces, including bars, cafes, clubs and restaurants from 1 June 2007, except in those places which have been permitted a transition period of up to two years. Smoking in bars and trains is still allowed in enclosed smoking booths, where is not permitted to serve or consume food or drink. Many smaller bars have not been able to build such smoking booths and patrons have to smoke outside. The bans are respected by the general population.
As of early 2010, Finland plans to phase out smoking completely.
France
Smoking is now banned in all public places (stations, museums, etc.); an exception exists for special smoking rooms fulfilling strict conditions, see below. However, a special exemption was made for cafés and restaurants, clubs, casinos, bars, etc. until 1 January 2008, although the French government allowed a day of reflection on New Year's Day. Opinion polls suggest 70% of people support the ban. However, a recent story by Time Magazine suggests that smokers are now blatantly ignoring the smoking ban due to low enforcement.Under the new regulations, smoking rooms are allowed, but are subjected to very strict conditions: they may occupy at most 20% of the total floor space of the establishment and their size may not be more than 35 m²; they need to be equipped with separate ventilation which replaces the full volume of air ten times per hour; the air pressure of the smoking room must constantly be lower than the pressure in the contiguous rooms; they must have doors that close automatically; no service can be provided in the smoking rooms; and cleaning and maintenance personnel may enter the room only one hour after it was last used for smoking.
Previously, under the former implementation rules of the 1991 Évin law, restaurants, cafés etc. just had to provide smoking and non-smoking sections, which in practice were often not well separated. In larger establishments, smoking and non-smoking sections could be separate rooms, but often they were just areas within the same room.
A legal challenge against the new regulations was filed before the Conseil d'État in 2007, but was rejected.
Germany
With some of Europe's highest smoking rates, Germany's patchwork of smoking bans continues to be contested.In February 2009, Der Spiegel
Der Spiegel
Der Spiegel is a German weekly news magazine published in Hamburg. It is one of Europe's largest publications of its kind, with a weekly circulation of more than one million.-Overview:...
reported that the smoking bans in bars are being very weakly controlled by the authorities, and in many places the ban is not observed at all.
Greece
Guatemala
Complete ban: Smoke-free legislation covering all types of places and institutions. On December 2008 the Guatemalan Congress approved Decree 74-2008 and it became effective on February 2009. This law bans smoking in all workplaces including health-care facilities, governmental facilities, schools, universities, airports, bars and restaurants. However, two years after law implementation enforcement has been deficient.Governments are facing pressures to legalize smoking again by local tobacco companies and citizens.Guernsey
Smoking bans were introduced at different times in the Bailiwick of Guernsey, a BritishBritish Islands
British Islands is a term within the law of the United Kingdom which since 1889 has referred collectively to the following four states:*the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland ;...
Crown dependency
Crown dependency
The Crown Dependencies are British possessions of the Crown, as opposed to overseas territories of the United Kingdom. They comprise the Channel Island Bailiwicks of Jersey and Guernsey in the English Channel, and the Isle of Man in the Irish Sea....
. Smoking was banned in all public places in the island of Guernsey
Guernsey
Guernsey, officially the Bailiwick of Guernsey is a British Crown dependency in the English Channel off the coast of Normandy.The Bailiwick, as a governing entity, embraces not only all 10 parishes on the Island of Guernsey, but also the islands of Herm, Jethou, Burhou, and Lihou and their islet...
, including workplaces, bars, clubs and restaurants, on 2 July 2006, under the "Smoking (Prohibition in Public Places and Workplaces) (Guernsey) Law 2005". Anyone who breaks the law, upon conviction, could be fined up to the maximum of £1000 (~€1150, ~$1470). Smoking is allowed anywhere outside and in whatever company.
In Alderney
Alderney
Alderney is the most northerly of the Channel Islands. It is part of the Bailiwick of Guernsey, a British Crown dependency. It is long and wide. The area is , making it the third-largest island of the Channel Islands, and the second largest in the Bailiwick...
, the States of Alderney
States of Alderney
The States of Alderney is the parliament/council and the legislature of Alderney, part of the Bailiwick of Guernsey. The origin of the States is unknown, but has operated from the mediaeval period...
passed anti-smoking legislation with the President's casting vote on 13 January 2010; the legislation came into force at 4 am on 1 June 2010.
Smoking in indoor public places remains legal in Sark
Sark
Sark is a small island in the Channel Islands in southwestern English Channel, off the French coast of Normandy. It is a royal fief, geographically located in the Channel Islands in the Bailiwick of Guernsey, with its own set of laws based on Norman law and its own parliament. It has a population...
.
Hong Kong
Hong Kong has seen all public smoking banned from 1 January 2007 under the government's revised Smoking (Public Health) Ordinance (Cap. 371), first enacted in 1982 with several amendments subsequently. The latest amendment enlarges the smoking ban to include indoor workplaces, most public places including restaurants, Internet cafés, public lavatories, beaches and most public parks. Some bars, karaoke parlors, saunas and nightclubs were exempt until 1 July 2009. Smoking bans in lifts, public transport, cinemas, concert halls, airport terminal and escalators had been phased in between 1982 and 1997. The ban in shopping centres, department stores, supermarkets, banks, game arcades has been in place since July 1998.An anomaly to the smoking ban is on cross-border trains between Hong Kong and Mainland China as they are operated jointly between MTR Corporation and the Chinese Railways, of whom the latter allows smoking in the restaurant car and in the vestibules at the end of the cars, but not in the seating area.
Any person who smokes or carries a lighted tobacco product in a statutory no smoking area commits an offence and is liable on summary conviction to a maximum fine of HK$5,000. Unlike many other jurisdictions, Hong Kong does not place the onus on licensees of liquor licensed premises to enforce smoking bans with subsequent loss of licence for non compliance. A new law, that was to enter into force in September 2009, provides for fixed-penalty arrangement (HK$1,500) for smoking, on a par with that for littering. At the same time smoking will be banned in designated public transport interchanges, but the government has yet to clarify how it will enforce this against non Hong Kong ID card holders and tourists, since the offender has 21 days after the ticket issue to pay up.
The overall daily smoking rate in Hong Kong is 11.8% (HK Department of Census and Statistics Household Thematic Survey 36) with 25% of males smoking whereas in China 63% of males smoke.
The government has mentioned a full-ban of tobacco import and smoking is technically possible in Hong Kong upon the release of the budget in 2009. However, as the decreasing daily smoking rate in recent years mainly due to increasing tobacco tax, the government currently has no further plans to control sales of tobacco other than by adjusting taxation.
Hungary
Smoking has been banned for several years on public transport, hospitals, airports and in public and federal buildings, including the Parliament. From 2010, a smoking ban is effective on playgroundPlayground
A playground or play area is a place with a specific design for children be able to play there. It may be indoors but is typically outdoors...
s and underpasses. Several cities, including Budapest, have banned smoking in public transport stops. Following a decade of effective resistance by the tobacco lobbies, a complete ban (all public spaces countrywide, including workplaces and restaurants) is effective from January 2012.
Iceland
Smoking and the use of other tobacco products is banned in most public spaces in Iceland. This includes all enclosed spaces in common ownership, all public land intended for use by children, all public transport and all services; including restaurants, bars, clubs and cafés.India
A nationwide ban on smoking in public places came into effect from 2 October 2008. Places where smoking is banned include auditoriums, movie theatres, hospitals, public transport (aircraft, buses, trains, metros, monorails, taxis) and their related facilities (airports, bus stands/stations, railway stations), restaurants, hotels, bars, pubs, amusement centres, offices (government and private), libraries, courts, post offices, markets, shopping malls, canteens, refreshment rooms, banquet halls, discotheques, coffee houses, educational institutions and parks. Smoking is allowed on roads, inside one's home or vehicle. Smoking is also permitted in airports, restaurants, bars, pubs, discotheques and any other banned area if they provide designated separate smoking areas. Anybody violating this law will be charged with a fine of 200.The Cable Television Network (Regulation) Amendment Bill, in force since 8 September 2000, completely prohibits cigarette and alcohol advertisements.
In 2007, Chandigarh
Chandigarh
Chandigarh is a union territory of India that serves as the capital of two states, Haryana and Punjab. The name Chandigarh translates as "The Fort of Chandi". The name is from an ancient temple called Chandi Mandir, devoted to the Hindu goddess Chandi, in the city...
became the first city in India to become 'smoke-free'. However despite there being some difficulties and apathy by the authorities the Smoke-Free Chandigarh ban has been a success story. Taking a cue from the Chandigarh's success, cities like Shimla also followed the Smoke-Free Chandigarh model to become smoke-free. The success of Chandigarh had been widely recognised and the architect of smoke-free Chandigarh Hemant Goswami
Hemant Goswami
Hemant Goswami . is an Indian social activist working on public health and civil right issues. Besides being known as one of the most vociferous voices against tobacco, Hemant is also credited with creating the first smoke-free city in India and also in any third world country with the effective...
. was also awarded the Global Smoke-Free Partnership Award for the initiative. The state of Kerala
Kerala
or Keralam is an Indian state located on the Malabar coast of south-west India. It was created on 1 November 1956 by the States Reorganisation Act by combining various Malayalam speaking regions....
also had implemented a more relaxed ban on public smoking earlier though it was never properly followed. However since the nationwide ban, it is being enforced more strictly.
Indonesia
In JakartaJakarta
Jakarta is the capital and largest city of Indonesia. Officially known as the Special Capital Territory of Jakarta, it is located on the northwest coast of Java, has an area of , and a population of 9,580,000. Jakarta is the country's economic, cultural and political centre...
's restaurants, hotels, office buildings, airports and public transport, and overall public areas smoking is banned. Restaurants which want to allow smoking have to provide a separate smoking space starting 4 February 2006. As in many Asian nations, it remains to be seen whether it can be enforced. Building separate facilities for smokers had only taken place in half of establishments by June 2007.
Ireland
The Republic of Ireland became the first country in the world to institute an outright ban on smoking in workplaces on 29 March 2004. Before the total ban, smoking had already been outlawed (1988) in public buildings, hospitals, public pharmacies, schools, banking halls, cinemas, restaurant kitchens, part of all restaurants, on public transport aircraft and buses, and some trains (Intercity trains provided smokers' carriages).On 1 July 2009, Ireland banned in-store tobacco advertising
Tobacco advertising
Tobacco advertising is the advertising of tobacco products or use by the tobacco industry through a variety of media including sponsorship, particularly of sporting events. It is now one of the most highly regulated forms of marketing...
and displays of tobacco products at retail outlets and new controls on tobacco vending machine
Vending machine
A vending machine is a machine which dispenses items such as snacks, beverages, alcohol, cigarettes, lottery tickets, consumer products and even gold and gems to customers automatically, after the customer inserts currency or credit into the machine....
s.
Isle of Man
The Isle of ManIsle of Man
The Isle of Man , otherwise known simply as Mann , is a self-governing British Crown Dependency, located in the Irish Sea between the islands of Great Britain and Ireland, within the British Isles. The head of state is Queen Elizabeth II, who holds the title of Lord of Mann. The Lord of Mann is...
ban is similar to the one introduced in England. The ban came into effect on 30 March 2008.
The smoking ban also saw Europe's first smoke-free prison.
Israel
In Israel, it is forbidden to smoke in public closed places since 1983. The law was amended in 2007 so that owners are held accountable for smoking in premises under their responsibility. The ban includes cafés, restaurants discos, pubs and bars, and it is illegal for owners of such places to put ashtrays anywhere inside closed spaces. Also, owners of public places must put "no smoking" signs and prevent visitors from smoking. They can also designate a well-ventilated and completely separate area for smokers, as long as the non-smokers' area does not fall below 75% of the whole area. The fine for owners of public places is ₪ 5,000 (around US$1400) and for smokers – ₪ 1000.In spite of all of this, the smoking bans in Israel are not altogether effective and smoking remains quite prevalent in pubs, bars and clubs. In 2011 Israel approved a new law banning smoking in train stations, bus stops, and prohibits the sale of tobacco products in automatic machines.
Italy
Italy was the fourth country in the world to enact a nationwide smoking ban. Since 10 January 2005 it is forbidden to smoke in all public indoor spaces, including bars, cafés, restaurants and discos. However, special smoking rooms are allowed. In such areas food can be served, but they are subjected to strict conditions: they need to be separately ventilated, with high air replacement rates; their air pressure must constantly be lower than the pressure in the surrounding rooms; they must be equipped with automatic sliding doors to prevent smoke from spreading to tobacco-free areas; they may occupy at most 50% of the establishment. Only 1% of all public establishments have opted for setting up a smoking room.Smoking is also forbidden in all enclosed workplaces – this includes also trains and underground stations.
It is indeed allowed to smoke outdoors, which means that since Italy has sunny weather more than half of the year, people can still smoke at restaurants and bars as long as they sit on the outside tables and people still smoke there.
Japan
Although there are no consistent nationwide smoking bans in Japan and all moves to introduce such laws are strongly opposed by the powerful lobbyLobbying
Lobbying is the act of attempting to influence decisions made by officials in the government, most often legislators or members of regulatory agencies. Lobbying is done by various people or groups, from private-sector individuals or corporations, fellow legislators or government officials, or...
groups, there are a growing number of local ordinances banning smoking. Smoking is forbidden on the streets of the Chiyoda
Chiyoda, Tokyo
is one of the 23 special wards in central Tokyo, Japan. In English, it is called Chiyoda ward. As of October 2007, the ward has an estimated population of 45,543 and a population density of 3,912 people per km², making it by far the least populated of the special wards...
, Shinagawa
Shinagawa, Tokyo
is one of the 23 special wards of Tokyo, Japan. In English, it is called Shinagawa City. The ward is home to nine embassies.As of 2008, the ward has an estimated population of 344,461 and a density of 15,740 persons per km². The total area is 22.72 km²....
, Shinjuku
Shinjuku, Tokyo
is one of the 23 special wards of Tokyo, Japan. It is a major commercial and administrative center, housing the busiest train station in the world and the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building, the administration center for the government of Tokyo.As of 2008, the ward has an estimated population...
and Nakano
Nakano, Tokyo
is one of the 23 special wards of Tokyo, Japan. In English, it calls itself Nakano City .As of April 1, 2011, the ward has an estimated population of 311,690 with a household number of 176,936 and a density of 19,992.94 persons per km². The total area is 15.59 km².-Geography:Five special wards...
wards of Tokyo for reasons of child safety (not health). Smoking is banned on most public transport and on many train station platforms, however enforcement mechanisms such as fines remain absent. Kanagawa Prefecture
Kanagawa Prefecture
is a prefecture located in the southern Kantō region of Japan. The capital is Yokohama. Kanagawa is part of the Greater Tokyo Area.-History:The prefecture has some archaeological sites going back to the Jōmon period...
has implemented in April 2010 the nation's first prefecture-wide smoking ban, banning smoking in public facilities, including hospitals, schools and government offices. The ordinance requires large restaurants and hotels to choose whether to become nonsmoking or create separate smoking areas, while mah-jong and pachinko
Pachinko
is a type of game originating in Japan, and used as both a form of recreational arcade game and much more frequently as a gambling device, filling a niche in gambling in Japan comparable to that of the slot machine in Western gambling. A pachinko machine resembles a vertical pinball machine, but...
parlors, restaurants with floor space of up to 100 sq. meters and hotels of up to 700 sq. meters are merely required to "make efforts" to prevent passive smoking. Another Kanagawa ordinance last month to ban smoking at swimming beaches expected to be implemented in May 2010. Although still relatively few, there is a growing number of private businesses implementing smoking bans in restaurants, taxis, buildings and bars.
Jersey
Smoking is restricted in public places in JerseyJersey
Jersey, officially the Bailiwick of Jersey is a British Crown Dependency off the coast of Normandy, France. As well as the island of Jersey itself, the bailiwick includes two groups of small islands that are no longer permanently inhabited, the Minquiers and Écréhous, and the Pierres de Lecq and...
(a British
British Islands
British Islands is a term within the law of the United Kingdom which since 1889 has referred collectively to the following four states:*the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland ;...
Crown dependency
Crown dependency
The Crown Dependencies are British possessions of the Crown, as opposed to overseas territories of the United Kingdom. They comprise the Channel Island Bailiwicks of Jersey and Guernsey in the English Channel, and the Isle of Man in the Irish Sea....
).
The Restriction on Smoking (Jersey) Law 1973 enabled the States of Jersey
States of Jersey
The States of Jersey is the parliament and government of Jersey.The Assembly of the States of Jersey has exercised legislative powers since 1771, when law-making power was transferred from the Royal Court of Jersey....
to pass regulations prohibiting or restricting smoking in places of entertainment and public transport. In pursuance of this law, smoking was banned on public transport by the Smoking (Public Transport) (Jersey) Regulations 1982.
The Restriction on Smoking (Jersey) Law 1973 was amended by the Restriction on Smoking (Amendment No. 2) (Jersey) Law 2006 adopted 16 May 2006 which enabled the States to make regulations to prohibit or restrict smoking tobacco or a substance (or a mixture of substances) other than tobacco, or the use of tobacco, in a workplace or other defined places.
Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan partially banned smoking in public places on 1 April 2003. A full ban was instituted in September 2009.Enforcing the smoking ban appears to be somewhat problematic as far as public bus services are concerned. While smoking by passengers on the public bus services was never an issue, bus operators on duty were being consistently reported as smoking inside the bus vehicles and persistently ignoring requests by the passengers not to do so.
Kenya
Smoking in public indoor areas is banned in NairobiNairobi
Nairobi is the capital and largest city of Kenya. The city and its surrounding area also forms the Nairobi County. The name "Nairobi" comes from the Maasai phrase Enkare Nyirobi, which translates to "the place of cool waters". However, it is popularly known as the "Green City in the Sun" and is...
, Kenya, since July 2007. Small private bars will be exempted. Mombasa
Mombasa
Mombasa is the second-largest city in Kenya. Lying next to the Indian Ocean, it has a major port and an international airport. The city also serves as the centre of the coastal tourism industry....
already has a similar preexisting ban on smoking.
Latvia
As of 1 May 2010, smoking has been completely banned in restaurants and bars. Previously non-smoking area had to be larger than half of the total area. Smoking is also banned in parks and ten meters around public buildings and public transportation stops. Smoking on public transportation, except for ferries, is also forbidden.Recently some municipalities, for example, Ozolnieku novads, have banned smoking on balconies and by an open window in apartment blocks and others multi-storey buildings.
Lithuania
Smoking has been banned in restaurants, bars, places where food is served, clubs (except for special cigar and pipe clubs), and nightclubs since 1 January 2007. Furthermore, smoking on public transportation is forbidden except on long-distance trains with special facilities. The ban is well respected, at least in the main cities.Luxembourg
Smoking is banned in all indoor public places, like hospitals, shopping centres, schools and restaurants. However, cafés and bars that only serve snacks are exempt from the law. There is a smoking prohibition from 12 noon to 14:00h and 19:00h to 21:00h in cafés in which meals are served.Macedonia
Macedonia has a strong national smoking ban in all public indoor areas, and in some cases in outdoor areas. Smoking is banned in bars, cafes, restaurants, and nightclubs starting 1 January 2010.Smoking is not banned only in people's homes, at open spaces and public areas free of sporting competitions, cultural and entertainment events, gatherings and other public events.
Madagascar
By official law, smoking is prohibited in taxi-brousses, but it is not enforced. The only places where they banned smoking is at Antananarivo International Airport and on Air Madagascar flights. It is also prohibited to smoke in the pubs and clubs.Malta
In April 2004, smoking was banned in all enclosed public spaces, including public transportation, clubs and restaurants, although smoking areas are allowed.you have to be 18
Malaysia
In all, 21 areas are banned, including hospitals/clinics, airports, public lifts and toilets, air-conditioned restaurants, public transport, government premises, educational institutions, petrol stations, Internet cafes, shopping complexes and private office spaces with central air-conditioning. However, enforcement does not exist, and the government claims to have plans to get tougher on offenders.Starting 1 June 2010, it is an offence to smoke at private office spaces with central air-conditioning. People who violate the rules can be fined up to RM10,000 (US$3,333), or two years of imprisonment.
Mauritius
Since March 1, 2009, smoking is completely banned in all public places and workplaces.Mexico
Smoking in hospitals and airports has been banned for at least 15 years. Smoking is allowed in designated areas at the Cancun Airport. Mexico City's current smoking policy, passed in April 2004, requires physically separate smoking and non-smoking areas, and for non-smoking areas to make up at least 30% of all space in restaurants and bars. A proposal debated early in 2007 to extend Mexico City's smoking policy into a complete ban for all restaurants, bars, schools, taxis, and buses, did not pass. It was proposed again in the middle of 2007.Since April 2008 the law has covered Mexico City, and since 28 August 2008 the law has been extended nationwide.
Advertisement of tobacco products has been banned from TV and radio for roughly 6 years.
Monaco
There is a ban on smoking in public indoor places in Monaco since 1 November 2008, it includes bars, restaurants and nightclubs.Montenegro
Smoking in public places is banned in Montenegro. The ban also forbids smoking advertising and the display of people smoking on television.Morocco
Morocco's House of Representatives unanimously passed a bill banning smoking in public places.Mozambique
Since 2007, smoking has been banned in indoor public places including public transport, government buildings, schools, hospitals, libraries, cinemas, theatres, restaurants and bars, with the exception of specially designated smoking rooms.Namibia
On 8 October 2009, the Namibian National Assembly adopted the Tobacco Products Control Bill, one of the most comprehensive smoking bans in the world. The law, once in force will ban "the smoking of tobacco in a public place, any outdoor public place or any area within a certain distance of a window, ventilation inlet, door or entrance".The bill was voted into law on 16 February 2010
Nepal
Nepal Government put a ban on smoking in public places effective from 7 August 2011. The Tobacco (Control and Regulatory) Act bans smoking in airports, hotels, restaurants, government offices and other public places. The act also makes it obligatory for tobacco product manufacturers to ensure that product packs carry graphic warnings about the adverse effects of smoking and the harmful ingredients the products contain. The warnings should cover at least 75% of the total pack area. The act also prohibits sales of tobacco products to pregnant women and people below the age of 18.The Tobacco Control and Regulation Act-2068 was signed by President Dr.Ram Baran Yadav on April 29.
The Act includes provisions for officials to inspect implementation of the new law. A fine of Rs 100-100,000 will be slapped on anyone who smokes in public places or sells tobacco products to people below 18 or to pregnant women.
Netherlands
Smoking of tobacco is prohibited by law in all public buildings and in public transport. As of 1 January 2004 every employee has the right to work in a smoke-free environment. Tobacco legislation states that employers are obliged to take measures to ensure that employees are able to carry out their work without being bothered or affected by smoke from others. On 1 January 2008 Amsterdam Airport Schiphol became the first European airport with a total smoking ban; however, since August 2008 it has been allowed in the designated smoking rooms. Since 1 July 2008 the smoking ban has also applied to all hotels, restaurants, bars and cafes in The Netherlands. Separate smoking rooms are allowed in hospitality facilities as long as no food or beverage is served there. All forms of tobacco advertising, promotion or sponsorship are prohibited. Smoking of cannabisCannabis
Cannabis is a genus of flowering plants that includes three putative species, Cannabis sativa, Cannabis indica, and Cannabis ruderalis. These three taxa are indigenous to Central Asia, and South Asia. Cannabis has long been used for fibre , for seed and seed oils, for medicinal purposes, and as a...
(marijuana and hashish) in coffee-shops is permitted as long as it is not mixed with tobacco. In 2010 the new government spoke out against the smoking ban in small
catering businesses. The ban was widely ignored with statistics showing that around 41% of bars and discos had flouted the law. On 3 November 2010 the new government lifted the ban for bars of 70 square metres or less which did not employ any staff other than the owner. Around 3,000 of the 5,500 bars in The Netherlands are staffed by the owner alone.
New Zealand
The first building in the world to have a smoke-free policy was the Old Government BuildingOld Government Buildings (Wellington)
The Government Buildings Historic Reserve, or more commonly referred to as the Old Government Buildings, is situated on Lambton Quay in Wellington...
in Wellington, New Zealand, in 1876. This was over concerns about the threat of fire, as it is the second largest wooden building in the world.
New Zealand passed an amendment to the Smoke-free Environments Act 1990 law on 3 December 2003 (effective in 2004) which covers all indoor public workplaces and inside hospitality venues (pubs, bars, restaurants and casinos). Studies have shown very high levels of compliance with the law. Also the air quality inside hospitality venues is very good compared to similar settings in other countries where smoking is still permitted. In New Zealand, tobacco cannot be sold to anyone under 18. However, unlike alcohol
Alcohol
In chemistry, an alcohol is an organic compound in which the hydroxy functional group is bound to a carbon atom. In particular, this carbon center should be saturated, having single bonds to three other atoms....
, it is still legal for a minor to buy, consume, or publicly possess tobacco, so no sanctions are placed upon the under-age smokers themselves.
Outdoor smoke-free laws cover the grounds of all schools, the grounds of some hospitals, stadiums and two university campuses (Massey University, and the University of Auckland, in 2010). Victoria University of Wellington has restricted smoking rules with specified areas in which one may smoke. The government has not moved to restrict smoking in cars but has run mass media campaigns that promote smoke-free cars and homes.
There are also increasing numbers of local councils implementing educative smokefree policies. South Taranaki District Council was the first. In May 2005 the Council made its playgrounds, parks and swimming pools smokefree, as well as ensuring that all Council events held in South Taranaki parks were to be promoted as smoke-free events and in May 2006 the Upper Hutt
Upper Hutt
Upper Hutt is a satellite city of Wellington. It is New Zealand's smallest city by population, the second largest by land area. It is in Greater Wellington.-Geography:Upper Hutt is 30 km north-east of Wellington...
city council followed suit and declared all "open areas for which members ofthe public gather" (i.e. parks, playgrounds, pools) smoke-free however this by-law lacks in enforcement other than a polite request by city council officials and Security Guards (rather than confisacation and court penalty). At least 19 of New Zealand's other Councils have followed suit. (Source: www.smokefreecouncils.org.nz).
On 5 September 2007, Action on Smoking and Health
Action on Smoking and Health
Action on Smoking and Health is the name of a number of autonomous pressure groups/charities throughout the world which seek to publicize the risks associated with tobacco smoking and campaigns for greater restrictions on cigarette and tobacco sales....
(ASH) New Zealand called for the removal of tobacco from sale by 2017. however with current legislation and (lack of) law enforcement (as they do with alcohol
Alcohol
In chemistry, an alcohol is an organic compound in which the hydroxy functional group is bound to a carbon atom. In particular, this carbon center should be saturated, having single bonds to three other atoms....
this demand seems more of a pipe dream
From the start of the first semester of 2010, New Zealand's largest university, the University of Auckland
University of Auckland
The University of Auckland is a university located in Auckland, New Zealand. It is the largest university in the country and the highest ranked in the 2011 QS World University Rankings, having been ranked worldwide...
, banned smoking on any of its property including inside and outside of buildings in areas that were once designated smoking areas. The university sprawls through most of Symonds Street and is the largest private complex in Auckland CBD.
- See Smoke-free Environments Act 1990Smoke-free Environments Act 1990-External links:** - Smokefree Law in New Zealand...
.
Niger
A decree banning smoking in public places in Niger was issued in September 2008. Fines range from 5,000 to 1 million CFA francCFA franc
The CFA franc is the name of two currencies used in Africa which are guaranteed by the French treasury. The two CFA franc currencies are the West African CFA franc and the Central African CFA franc...
s, whilst there is also the possibility of a prison term.
Nigeria
Smoking is prohibited in public places in LagosLagos
Lagos is a port and the most populous conurbation in Nigeria. With a population of 7,937,932, it is currently the third most populous city in Africa after Cairo and Kinshasa, and currently estimated to be the second fastest growing city in Africa...
, Nigeria, and is punishable by a fine of not less than N200 and not exceeding N1000 or to imprisonment to a term of not less than one month and not exceeding two years or to both such fine and imprisonment.
Norway
In Norway, smoking has been banned in public buildings, workplaces and public transportation since 1988. Since 1 June 2004, smoking is also banned in restaurants, bars, cafes, etc.Palestinian Authority
In 2010 the HamasHamas
Hamas is the Palestinian Sunni Islamic or Islamist political party that governs the Gaza Strip. Hamas also has a military wing, the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades...
-led Islamist government of Gaza
Gaza
Gaza , also referred to as Gaza City, is a Palestinian city in the Gaza Strip, with a population of about 450,000, making it the largest city in the Palestinian territories.Inhabited since at least the 15th century BC,...
imposed a ban on women smoking nargila
Hookah
A hookah A hookah(Gujarati હૂકાહ) A hookah(Gujarati હૂકાહ) (Hindustani: हुक़्क़ा (Devanagari, (Nastaleeq) huqqah) also known as a waterpipe or narghile, is a single or multi-stemmed (often glass-based) instrument for smoking in which the smoke is cooled by water. The tobacco smoked is referred to...
s in public. A spokesman for the Interior Ministry explained that "It is inappropriate for a woman to sit cross-legged and smoke in public. It harms the image of our people." The ban was soon lifted and women returned to smoking in popular venues like the cafe of Gaza's Crazy Water Park
Crazy Water Park
The Crazy Water Aqua Fun Park was a water park in the Gaza Strip, Palestinian territories, that served the territory's small wealthy class. The park opened in May 2010 and was burned down by masked men in September 2010, after being closed by the Palestinian Hamas de facto government for allowing...
. The Committee for the Propagation of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice (Gaza Strip)
Committee for the Propagation of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice (Gaza Strip)
The Committee for the Propagation of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice is a group in the Gaza Strip responsible for enforcing Muslim codes of behavior. According to journalist Khaled Abu Toameh and Middle East researcher Dr...
has arrested women for smoking in public. The park was burned down by masked men in September 2010, after being closed by the Hamas
Hamas
Hamas is the Palestinian Sunni Islamic or Islamist political party that governs the Gaza Strip. Hamas also has a military wing, the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades...
.
Paraguay
Effective April 2010, Paraguay has banned smoking in all indoor areas including bars and restaurants.Pakistan
The Prohibition of Smoking and Protection of Non-Smokers Health Ordinance-2002 came into effect on 30 June 2003.The law had the following aspects:
Ban on tobacco use in public buildings and transportation,
limiting tobacco advertising,
banning tobacco sale within 50 meters from educational institutions, and
requiring “no smoking” signs displayed in public places.
Peru
In Peru, it is nominally illegal to smoke in any public place (indoors), according to Law 28704. The ban is normally not enforced.Philippines
DavaoDavao
Davao refers to several closely related places in Mindanao in the Philippines. The term is used most often to refer to the city.*Davao Region, an administrative region*Davao del Norte province*Davao del Sur province*Davao Oriental province...
has banned smoking in a large number of public places, including public buildings, entertainment venues, hospitals, shopping malls, concerts since 2002. Smoking at gasoline stations is also banned.
Manila
Manila
Manila is the capital of the Philippines. It is one of the sixteen cities forming Metro Manila.Manila is located on the eastern shores of Manila Bay and is bordered by Navotas and Caloocan to the north, Quezon City to the northeast, San Juan and Mandaluyong to the east, Makati on the southeast,...
has banned smoking in large public areas like hospitals, malls, public transport, as well as Makati in 2002 Ordinance 2002-090, banning all public transport and enclosed indoor smoking.
Caloocan has begun to established ordinance recently concerning about the anti-smoking bans in accordance with the Republic Act No. 9211 also known as Tobacco Regulation Act of 2003.
Four jurisdictions have somefree regulations including bars and restaurants, albeit with designated smoking rooms permitted: Davao City
Davao City
The City of Davao is the largest city in the island of Mindanao in the Philippines. Its international airport and seaports are among the busiest cargo hubs in the Philippines....
, Makati City
Makati City
The City of Makati is one of the 17 cities that make up Metro Manila, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. Makati is the financial center of the Philippines and one of the major financial, commercial and economic hubs in Asia...
, Legazpi and Talisayan.
Tobacco companies have misrepresented the science on secondhand smoke and have successfully prevented policies from being introduced at national level. There is also evidence that the tobacco industry
Tobacco industry
The tobacco industry comprises those persons and companies engaged in the growth, preparation for sale, shipment, advertisement, and distribution of tobacco and tobacco-related products. It is a global industry; tobacco can grow in any warm, moist environment, which means it can be farmed on all...
is lobbying against local smokefree laws.
Poland
Smoking is banned in schools, hospitals or other medical facilities and public transport (including the vehicles such as train or bus and bus stops, train stations, etc.).Since 1 January 2011, it is forbidden to smoke in all public indoor spaces, including bars, cafés, restaurants and discos, though enclosed smoking areas within facilities are permitted.
Portugal
On 3 May 2007, the Portuguese parliament made a law banning smoking in all closed public places, except when proper air-ventilation systems are provided; what "proper" means hasn't been regulated so far. A closed public place is defined as having walls and a cover, such as most bus stop shelters, but not most railroad platforms. In hotels, restaurants or bars with more than 100 sq. m., a separate smoking area can be created. It went into effect 1 January 2008. Smokers who break the law face a fine of up to €750 (~US$1040) and establishments that break the law will face a fine of up to €1000 (~US$1390), and higher fines for the absence of legal signs and other infractions. The legal age to purchase tobacco is 18.Puerto Rico
The Law Num. 40 from 1993, the Law to Regulate the Smoking Practice in Public Places, and its later 1996 amendment Law 133, regulate smoking in private and public places. The most recent modification established in [2 March 2007], Law 66, amended articles 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 9 and 11 of Law Num. 40, forbids this practice inside jails, pubs, restaurants (including open-air terraces with one or more employees), bars, casinos, workplaces, educational institutions, cars with children under age 13 and most public places. Smoking sections are not allowed. Fines start at $250.Qatar
The capital of Qatar, DohaDoha
Doha is the capital city of the state of Qatar. Located on the Persian Gulf, it had a population of 998,651 in 2008, and is also one of the municipalities of Qatar...
, banned smoking in public or closed areas in 2002. The law discouraged shopkeepers from selling to under-aged people and completely banned tobacco advertisements in the country and punished violaters with hefty fines. However, the law is openly flouted especially by the youth.
Russia
Russia does not yet have a smoking ban in force; however, there is some proposed legislation in the Duma.The legislation, passed by the State Duma 406-0, bans smoking in workplaces, on aircraft, trains and municipal transport as well as in schools, hospitals, cultural institutions and government buildings. It requires specially designated smoking areas to be set up and also requires restaurants and cafes to set up no-smoking areas. Russia's no smoking bill must go through two more readings in the Duma before being sent to the Federation Council for approval and to President Dmitry Medvedev for his signature.
Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia has almost no restrictions against smoking. However, on 20 June 2010, the Council of Ministers urged the General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) to ban smoking at all airports and their facilities in the Kingdom. It also advised GACA to impose a fine of SR200 on people who violate the new regulations.Serbia
In Serbia, as of November 2010 smoking is prohibited in all enclosed public spaces including entertainment and restaurants, bars, internet cafes, which have to designate a special room for smoking to be allowed. The ban is obligatory for all hospitals, media houses and theaters, but mainly not enforced.Singapore
On 1 July 2007, the ban was extended to entertainment nightspots. The rule allows for the construction of designated smoking rooms which can take up to 10% of the total indoor space.
On 1 January 2009, the ban was extended to all children's playgrounds, exercise areas, markets, underground and multi-storey carparks, ferry terminals and jetties. It was also extended to non-air conditioned areas in offices, factories, shops, shopping complexes and lift lobbies.
Smokers found flouting the rules are fined S$200 while the owners of the establishments are fined S$200 and S$500 for a subsequent offence.
On 22 November 2010, the Towards Tobacco-Free Singapore online campaign was launched to support the initiative to phase out tobacco in Singapore by preventing the supply of tobacco to Singaporeans born from the year 2000. The initiative was put forward by a team consisting of a lung cancer surgeon, medical officers, a university professor and a civil servant. The proposal has received strong public support and has attracted media interest.
As of 2011, no-smoking enforcement has not been effective as the enforcement officers are few and sporadically make checks. Furthermore, smokers will light up again when these enforcement officers leave the premise.
Link to Section on Proposed ban in Singapore
Slovakia
In Slovakia is smoking banned in most indoor places. Since 2004 employers must provide separate smoking room for smokers or outdoor smoking place. Smoking is also prohibited in most indoor public places. This ban does not includes bars which does not serves food. Exception from indoor smoking ban are also restaurants. Since 2010 there is restriction for restaurants to have separated smoking and non-smoking part. Also smoking is prohibited in shopping centers, but flaw in law allows to smoke on balconies of cafeterias in shopping centers. Compliance of this law is responsibility of Slovak Business Inspection (SOI).There is also limitation on outdoor smoking. Especially around train and bus stations and close to entrance of government buildings. For compliance of this law is responsible local police force.
But because of corruption and ineffective legislative existing laws are not respected.
Slovenia
On 22 June 2007, the Slovenian National Assembly approved a law prohibiting smoking in all indoor public and work places, effective 5 August 2007. Exempted from the ban are "open public areas, special smoking hotel rooms, special smoking areas in elderly care centres and jails, and special smoking chambers in bars and other work places.The smoking chambers, which will have to meet strict technical standards, will however not be allowed to occupy more than 20% of an establishment." The law also raised the minimum age to purchase tobacco products from 15 to 18 and mandated that tobacco labels carry the telephone number of a quit-smoking hotline.
South Africa
The South African government passed the first Tobacco Products Control ActTobacco Products Control Act
Since the introduction of the South African Tobacco Products Control Act in 1993 a notable victory has been scored in the battle against tobacco in South Africa where smoking has been rated the second highest health concern, after HIV/AIDS...
in 1993 and started implementing the act in 1995. The act regulated smoking in public areas and prohibited tobacco sales to people under the age of 16. Some aspects of tobacco advertising were also regulated for example labelling. The 1993 act was not considered to be comprehensive enough and the Tobacco Products Control Amendment Act was passed in 1999. This act bans all advertising and promotion of tobacco products, including sponsorship and free distribution of tobacco products. The act also restricts smoking in public places which includes the workplace, restaurants and bars and public transport. The act also stipulates penalties for transgressors of the law, and specifies the maximum permissible levels of tar
Tar
Tar is modified pitch produced primarily from the wood and roots of pine by destructive distillation under pyrolysis. Production and trade in tar was a major contributor in the economies of Northern Europe and Colonial America. Its main use was in preserving wooden vessels against rot. The largest...
and nicotine
Nicotine
Nicotine is an alkaloid found in the nightshade family of plants that constitutes approximately 0.6–3.0% of the dry weight of tobacco, with biosynthesis taking place in the roots and accumulation occurring in the leaves...
. The regulations were implemented in 2001.
The government proposed further amendments to the bill in 2007 which will seek to deal with new practices designed to circumvent the provisions of the Act. These amendments will also aim to bring the current law into compliance
Compliance (regulation)
In general, compliance means conforming to a rule, such as a specification, policy, standard or law. Regulatory compliance describes the goal that corporations or public agencies aspire to in their efforts to ensure that personnel are aware of and take steps to comply with relevant laws and...
with the World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC). This framework has been ratified by the South African government.
The South African government is currently looking at increasing the minimum legal age for smokers to 18.
Spain
From 2006 to 2010, Spain had a partial ban on smoking in public places. Offices, schools, hospitals and public transportation were smoke-free, but restaurants and bars could create a "smokers section" or allow smoking if they were small (under 100m2).After 2 January 2011, smoking is banned in every indoors public place, including restaurants, bars and cafes. Hotels may have 30% of smoking rooms; mental hospitals, jails and old people's residences may have public rooms where workers cannot enter. Outdoor smoking is also banned in childcare facilities, in children's playparks and around schools and hospital facilities.
Establishments can be closed by the authorities for repeatedly violating the smoking ban, as happened for the first time on 10 February 2011 in Marbella
Marbella
Marbella is a town in Andalusia, Spain. It is situated on the Mediterranean Sea, in the province of Málaga, beneath the La Concha mountain. In 2000 the city had 98,823 inhabitants, in 2004, 116,234, in 2010 approximately 135,000....
.
Sweden
In Sweden, smoking was banned in restaurants, cafes, bars and nightclubs in June 2005. Smoking rooms are, however, allowed in these institutions. The smoking rooms contain a few restrictions: no serving or consumption of food or beverages is allowed in the smoking rooms and it may not cover more than 25% of the institution's total area. The ban was very popular amongst the population and even the industries affected. In January 2008, The Swedish Prison and Probation ServiceSwedish Prison and Probation Service
Kriminalvården or Swedish Prison and Probation Service is a government agency that is part of the Swedish judicial system, tasked with incarcerating suspects during pre-trial and trial and convicts after sentencing. The Main Office of the agency is located in Norrköping.- External links :** ]...
banned smoking indoors in prisons.
Switzerland
The Swiss Federal Assembly enacted a law for the protection against passive smoking in 2008, which came into force on 1 May 2010. It prohibits smoking in enclosed, publicly accessible areas and in rooms that are workplaces for several persons. There are exceptions for bars and restaurants, which may allow smoking in separate, ventilated rooms or in establishments smaller than 80 square meters, but the federal statute allows for more stringent cantonal smoking bans.Until the ban came into force, each canton
Cantons of Switzerland
The 26 cantons of Switzerland are the member states of the federal state of Switzerland. Each canton was a fully sovereign state with its own borders, army and currency from the Treaty of Westphalia until the establishment of the Swiss federal state in 1848...
determined its own smoking laws. As of June 2009, all cantons, with the exception of Zurich
Zürich
Zurich is the largest city in Switzerland and the capital of the canton of Zurich. It is located in central Switzerland at the northwestern tip of Lake Zurich...
, Appenzell Innerrhoden
Appenzell Innerrhoden
Appenzell Innerrhoden is the smallest canton of Switzerland by population and the second smallest by area, Basel-City having less area.-Foundation:...
, Glarus
Glarus
Glarus is the capital of the Canton of Glarus in Switzerland. Glarus municipality since 1 January 2011 incorporates the former municipalities of Ennenda, Netstal and Riedern....
, Jura
Canton of Jura
The Republic and Canton of the Jura , also known as the Canton of Jura or Canton Jura, is one of the cantons of Switzerland. It is the newest of the 26 Swiss cantons, located in the northwestern part of Switzerland. The capital is Delémont...
, Obwalden
Obwalden
Obwalden is a canton of Switzerland. It is located in the centre of Switzerland. The population is 33,997 of which 4,043 are foreigners. Its capital is Sarnen. The canton contains the geographical centre of Switzerland.-History:...
and Schaffhausen
Schaffhausen
Schaffhausen is a city in northern Switzerland and the capital of the canton of the same name; it has an estimated population of 34,587 ....
, have banned smoking in enclosed public areas (although restaurants are exempt in Lucerne
Canton of Lucerne
Lucerne is a canton of Switzerland. It is located in the centre of Switzerland. The population of the canton is . , the population included 57,268 foreigners, or about 15.8% of the total population. The cantonal capital is Lucerne.-History:...
and Nidwalden
Nidwalden
Nidwalden is a canton of Switzerland. It is located in the centre of Switzerland. The population is 40,287 of which 4,046 are foreigners. The capital is Stans.-History:...
). The details of the restrictions vary somewhat, and in several cantons the bans will not enter into force until some time between 2009 and 2012. The ban in Geneva
Canton of Geneva
The Republic and Canton of Geneva is the French speaking westernmost canton or state of Switzerland, surrounded on almost all sides by France. As is the case in several other Swiss cantons The Republic and Canton of Geneva is the French speaking westernmost canton or state of Switzerland,...
came into force on 31 October 2009.
Syria
Smoking is banned inside cafes, restaurants and other public spaces by a presidential decree issued on 12 October 2009 and came in to force on 21 April 2010. Syria was the first Arab country to introduce such a ban. The decree also outlaws smoking in educational institutions, health centres, sports halls, cinemas and theatres and on public transport. The restrictions include the nargile, or waterpipe. According to the official news agency SANASyrian Arab News Agency
The Syrian Arab News Agency is a news agency in Syria. It is a state media organisation linked to the Ministry of Information. It was established in 1965....
, fines for violating the ban range from 500 to 100,000 Syrian pounds (US$11 to $2,169).
A decree in 1996 banned tobacco advertising while a 2006 law outlawed smoking on public transport and in some public places, introducing fines for offenders. Under-18s are not allowed to buy tobacco.
Taiwan
Smoking is regulated by the Tobacco Hazards Prevention Act (Taiwan), promulgated on 11 July 2007.Thailand
Indoor smoking ban effective in all indoor air conditioned establishments throughout Thailand since November 2002, with entertainment areas exempted. Cigarettes have graphic pictures since 2005, and advertising is banned. Enforcement and compliance have been strong.On 10 January 2008, Thailand announced that smoking would be banned in restaurants, bars, and open-air markets effective 10 February 2008. In addition to fines, those who fail to comply may be arrested. Most legal bars comply with these regulations, but in establishments that operate illegally or semi-legally the bans are mostly disregarded.
Turkey
Turkey currently bans smoking in government offices, workplaces, bars, restaurants, cafes, shopping malls, schools, hospitals, and all forms of public transport, including trains, taxis and ferries. Turkey's smoking ban includes provisions for violators, where anyone caught smoking in a designated smoke-free area faces a fine of 69 liras (~€32/$45/£28) and bar owners who fail to enforce the ban could be fined from 560 liras for a first offence up to 5,600 liras.Smoking was first banned in 1997 in public buildings with more than four workers, as well as planes and public buses.
On 3 January 2008, Turkey passed a law banning smoking in all indoor spaces including bars, cafés and restaurants. It also bans smoking in sports stadia
Stadium
A modern stadium is a place or venue for outdoor sports, concerts, or other events and consists of a field or stage either partly or completely surrounded by a structure designed to allow spectators to stand or sit and view the event.)Pausanias noted that for about half a century the only event...
, and the gardens of mosques and hospitals. The smoking ban came into force on 19 May 2008; however, bars, restaurants and cafes were exempted until mid-July 2009. On 19 July 2009, Turkey extended the indoor public smoking ban to include bars, restaurants, village coffeehouse
Coffeehouse
A coffeehouse or coffee shop is an establishment which primarily serves prepared coffee or other hot beverages. It shares some of the characteristics of a bar, and some of the characteristics of a restaurant, but it is different from a cafeteria. As the name suggests, coffeehouses focus on...
s and nargile (hookah) bars.
Uganda
In March 2004, smoking was banned in public places, including workplaces, restaurants and bars. An extension to private homes is being considered.United Arab Emirates
Emirates in the United Arab Emirates recently started banning smoking in shopping malls and public places. States leading the ban on smoking include Abu DhabiAbu Dhabi
Abu Dhabi , literally Father of Gazelle, is the capital and the second largest city of the United Arab Emirates in terms of population and the largest of the seven member emirates of the United Arab Emirates. Abu Dhabi lies on a T-shaped island jutting into the Persian Gulf from the central western...
, Ajman
Ajman
Ajman , also spelt Ujman, is one of the seven emirates constituting the United Arab Emirates . With an area of just 260 square kilometres , Ajman is the smallest emirate by area...
, Dubai
Dubai
Dubai is a city and emirate in the United Arab Emirates . The emirate is located south of the Persian Gulf on the Arabian Peninsula and has the largest population with the second-largest land territory by area of all the emirates, after Abu Dhabi...
and Sharjah.
United Kingdom
Since 1 July 2007 smoking bans have been in effect across the whole of the UK. Smoking bans were introduced in each country of the United Kingdom separately as decided by the devolved administrations in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, and the UK ParliamentParliament of the United Kingdom
The Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the supreme legislative body in the United Kingdom, British Crown dependencies and British overseas territories, located in London...
acting for England. For details, see (in chronological order of bans): Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and England.
England
Smoking became banned in indoor public places in England, including workplaces, bars, clubs and restaurants, from 1 July 2007. It also included some outdoor locations such as bus stops and train stations. Some places, such as certain smoking hotel rooms, nursing homes, prisons, submarines, offshore oil rigs, and stages/television sets (if needed for the performance) are excluded. Palaces were also excluded, although members of the House of CommonsBritish House of Commons
The House of Commons is the lower house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, which also comprises the Sovereign and the House of Lords . Both Commons and Lords meet in the Palace of Westminster. The Commons is a democratically elected body, consisting of 650 members , who are known as Members...
and the House of Lords
House of Lords
The House of Lords is the upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Like the House of Commons, it meets in the Palace of Westminster....
agreed to ban all smoking in the Palace of Westminster
Palace of Westminster
The Palace of Westminster, also known as the Houses of Parliament or Westminster Palace, is the meeting place of the two houses of the Parliament of the United Kingdom—the House of Lords and the House of Commons...
. The on-the-spot fine for smoking in a workplace is £50 (~€70/~$100), £30 (~€45/~$60) if one pays within 15 days, while a business that allows it can be fined £2,500 (~€3,700/~$5,000). Smoking will be allowed to continue anywhere outdoors. However, a confidential government briefing obtained by The Independent on Sunday newspaper reveals that provisions are in place for extending the ban to outdoor areas.
Northern Ireland
In Northern IrelandNorthern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
, a smoking ban has been in effect since 30 April 2007. It is illegal to smoke in all enclosed workplaces. This includes bars, restaurants, offices (even if the smoker is the only person in the office) and public buildings.
Like Scotland, the smoking ban is more comprehensive in that places, such as phone boxes and enclosed bus/train shelters are included. The on-the-spot fine for smoking in a workplace is £50 (~€70/~$100), while a business that allows it can be fined £2,500 (~€3,700/~$5,000).
A £200 fine may be levied by local councils if businesses fail to show signs.
An opinion poll showed that 91% of people supported the ban.
Scotland
On 26 March 2006, Scotland prohibited smoking in enclosed (more than 50% covered) public places, which includes public buildings, workplaces, sports stadiums, bars and restaurants. Exemptions are in place to allow hotel guests to smoke in their own rooms, as long as the hotel has designated them as smoking rooms. The law also bans smoking in bus shelters, phone boxes or other shelters that are more than 50% enclosed. It also prohibits smoking in trucks and vans which are owned by a company whether or not the driver is the only person inside. Businesses covered by the smoking ban must display a statutory smoking sign at the entrance to, and around the building as well as a Smoke-Free policy. Opinion polls at its introduction showed a clear majority of the Scottish public were in favour of the banAs in New Zealand, the ban was initially criticised by certain interested groups (e.g., publicans, cafe and bingo hall owners, etc.) who feared that it would adversely impact their businesses. A survey published by the Scottish Beer & Pubs Association one year on from the ban concluded that "the number of pub licensed premises in Scotland has remained more or less constant over the last year" indicating fears of an adverse impact of the ban on the hospitality industry were unfounded. Widespread concerns prior to the ban about its impact on bingo halls prove harder to objectively assess: As at May 2008 there is anecdotal evidence to suggest an increase in closures of bingo halls since implementation of the ban. However, no statistical analysis has been conducted and speculation within the betting and gaming industry is that a decline could also be the result of demographic changes and increases in online gaming.
The NHS Scotland
NHS Scotland
NHS Scotland is the publicly funded healthcare system of Scotland. Although they are separate bodies the organisational separation between NHS Scotland and the other three healthcare organisations each commonly called the National Health Service in the United Kingdom tends to be hidden from its...
Quit Smoking Line reported it received an additional 50,000 calls from people wishing to give up in the six months after the ban was introduced. In September 2007 a study of nine Scottish hospitals over the twelve months following the ban reported positively on its impact on the country's health, including a 17% drop in admissions for heart attacks, compared with average reductions of 3% per year for the previous decade.
Wales
Smoking was banned across all enclosed public premises and work premises in Wales on 2 April 2007. Adherence is widespread and public houses report increases in takings since the ban came into place. However, six months after the ban's implementation, the Licensed Victuallers Association (LVA), which represents pub operators across Wales, claims that pubs have lost up to 20% of their trade. The LVA says some businesses are on the brink of closure, others have already closed down, and there is little optimism that trade will eventually return to pre-ban levels.Public places must display a special bilingual no smoking sign:
- "Mae ysmygu yn y fangre hon yn erbyn y gyfraith" (Welsh)
- "It is against the law to smoke in these premises" (English)
United Nations
As United Nations buildings are not the subject of any national jurisdiction, the United Nations has its own smoking and non-smoking policies. Following the gradual introduction of partial smoking bans between 1985 and 2003, Secretary-General Kofi AnnanKofi Annan
Kofi Atta Annan is a Ghanaian diplomat who served as the seventh Secretary-General of the UN from 1 January 1997 to 31 December 2006...
introduced in 2003 a total ban on smoking at United Nations Headquarters
United Nations headquarters
The headquarters of the United Nations is a complex in New York City. The complex has served as the official headquarters of the United Nations since its completion in 1952. It is located in the Turtle Bay neighborhood of Manhattan, on spacious grounds overlooking the East River...
. Similar bans have not been introduced in field offices of the United Nations worldwide.
Some specialized agencies of the United Nations, such as the United Nations Children's Fund and the World Health Organization
Who
Who may refer to:* Who , an English-language pronoun* who , a Unix command* Who?, one of the Five Ws in journalism- Art and entertainment :* Who? , a 1958 novel by Algis Budrys...
have their own strict smoking bans which apply to their offices worldwide, but the same is not necessarily true for entities of the Secretariat, such as the Department of Peacekeeping Operations
Department of Peacekeeping Operations
The Department of Peacekeeping Operations is a department of the United Nations which is charged with the planning, preparation, management and direction of UN peacekeeping operations.-History of the DPKO:...
and the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA)
Ocha
Ocha is a genus of moth in the family Lasiocampidae....
. Only on 13 December 2007, OCHA introduced a smoking ban applicable to all its field offices.
United States
In the United States, CongressUnited States Congress
The United States Congress is the bicameral legislature of the federal government of the United States, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Congress meets in the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C....
has not attempted to enact any nationwide federal
Law of the United States
The law of the United States consists of many levels of codified and uncodified forms of law, of which the most important is the United States Constitution, the foundation of the federal government of the United States...
smoking ban. Therefore, smoking bans in the United States are entirely a product of state and local
Local government in the United States
Local government in the United States is generally structured in accordance with the laws of the various individual states. Typically each state has at least two separate tiers: counties and municipalities. Some states have their counties divided into townships...
criminal
Criminal law
Criminal law, is the body of law that relates to crime. It might be defined as the body of rules that defines conduct that is not allowed because it is held to threaten, harm or endanger the safety and welfare of people, and that sets out the punishment to be imposed on people who do not obey...
and occupational safety and health
Occupational safety and health
Occupational safety and health is a cross-disciplinary area concerned with protecting the safety, health and welfare of people engaged in work or employment. The goal of all occupational safety and health programs is to foster a safe work environment...
laws. As a result, the existence and aggressiveness of smoking bans varies widely throughout the United States, ranging from total smoking bans (even outdoors), to no regulation of smoking at all. Jurisdictions in the greater South
Southern United States
The Southern United States—commonly referred to as the American South, Dixie, or simply the South—constitutes a large distinctive area in the southeastern and south-central United States...
tend to have the least restrictive smoking bans or no statewide smoking bans at all. Of the 60 most populated cities in the United States, all but 17 are under some form of smoking ban covering all bars and restaurants.
According to Americans for Nonsmokers' Rights, as of April 2011, 79.4% of the U.S. population lives under a ban on smoking in "workplaces, and/or restaurants, and/or bars, by either a state, commonwealth, or local law," though only 47.9% live under bans in all workplaces and restaurants and bars.
As of April 2011, 27 states have enacted smoking bans in all general workplaces and public places, including bars and restaurants (though many of these exempt tobacconists, cigar bars, casinos, private clubs, and/or small workplaces). Six have enacted smoking bans that exclude all adult venues such as bars (and casinos where applicable). Georgia
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
, Idaho
Idaho
Idaho is a state in the Rocky Mountain area of the United States. The state's largest city and capital is Boise. Residents are called "Idahoans". Idaho was admitted to the Union on July 3, 1890, as the 43rd state....
, Nevada
Nevada
Nevada is a state in the western, mountain west, and southwestern regions of the United States. With an area of and a population of about 2.7 million, it is the 7th-largest and 35th-most populous state. Over two-thirds of Nevada's people live in the Las Vegas metropolitan area, which contains its...
, New Hampshire
New Hampshire
New Hampshire is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state was named after the southern English county of Hampshire. It is bordered by Massachusetts to the south, Vermont to the west, Maine and the Atlantic Ocean to the east, and the Canadian...
, North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
, and Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
have particularized state laws banning smoking in specific places but leaving out all others. The remaining 11 states have no statewide smoking ban at all, though many cities and/or counties in those states have enacted local smoking bans to varying degrees (except Oklahoma
Oklahoma
Oklahoma is a state located in the South Central region of the United States of America. With an estimated 3,751,351 residents as of the 2010 census and a land area of 68,667 square miles , Oklahoma is the 28th most populous and 20th-largest state...
, which prohibits local governments from regulating smoking at all).
As for U.S. jurisdictions that are not states, as of April 2011 smoking is banned in all public places (including bars and restaurants) in American Samoa
American Samoa
American Samoa is an unincorporated territory of the United States located in the South Pacific Ocean, southeast of the sovereign state of Samoa...
, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...
and United States Virgin Islands
United States Virgin Islands
The Virgin Islands of the United States are a group of islands in the Caribbean that are an insular area of the United States. The islands are geographically part of the Virgin Islands archipelago and are located in the Leeward Islands of the Lesser Antilles.The U.S...
. Guam
Guam
Guam is an organized, unincorporated territory of the United States located in the western Pacific Ocean. It is one of five U.S. territories with an established civilian government. Guam is listed as one of 16 Non-Self-Governing Territories by the Special Committee on Decolonization of the United...
prohibits smoking in restaurants, but not in any other workplaces. The Northern Mariana Islands
Northern Mariana Islands
The Northern Mariana Islands, officially the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands , is a commonwealth in political union with the United States, occupying a strategic region of the western Pacific Ocean. It consists of 15 islands about three-quarters of the way from Hawaii to the Philippines...
prohibits smoking in most workplaces and in restaurants but no smoking bans in bars.
Uruguay
In March 2006, it became illegal in Uruguay to smoke in enclosed public spaces. Now bars, restaurants or offices where people are caught smoking face fines of more than $1,100 or a three-day closure. This makes Uruguay the first country in South America to ban smoking in enclosed public spaces.Anti-smoking groups estimate that as many as a third of Uruguay's 3.4 million people smoke. President
President of Uruguay
The President of the Oriental Republic of Uruguay is the head of state of Uruguay. His or her rights are determined in the Constitution of Uruguay. Conforms with the Secretariat of the Presidency, the Council of Ministers and the Director of the Office of Planning and Budget, the executive branch...
Tabaré Vázquez
Tabaré Vázquez
Tabaré Ramón Vázquez Rosas is a former President of Uruguay. A physician by training, he is a member of the leftist Frente Amplo coalition . Vázquez was elected president on October 31, 2004, took office on March 1, 2005, and relinquished the office on March 1, 2010...
, a practicing oncologist, has cited reports suggesting about seven people die each day in Uruguay (an estimated 5,000 people a year) from smoking-related causes including lung cancer, emphysema and other illnesses.
Vatican City
On 1 July 2002 a law signed by Pope John Paul IIPope John Paul II
Blessed Pope John Paul II , born Karol Józef Wojtyła , reigned as Pope of the Catholic Church and Sovereign of Vatican City from 16 October 1978 until his death on 2 April 2005, at of age. His was the second-longest documented pontificate, which lasted ; only Pope Pius IX ...
became effective which banned smoking on all places accessible to the public and in all closed places of work within the Vatican City and within all extraterritorial properties of the Holy See
Properties of the Holy See
The properties of the Holy See are properties of the Holy See which are regulated by the 1929 Lateran Treaty signed with the Kingdom of Italy. Although being part of Italian territory, all of them have an extraterritorial status, similar to those of foreign embassies.- Outside Vatican City but...
. Smoking bans in museums, libraries and churches on Vatican territory were already in force before that date for a long time.
Venezuela
On May 31, 2011 VenezuelaVenezuela
Venezuela , officially called the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela , is a tropical country on the northern coast of South America. It borders Colombia to the west, Guyana to the east, and Brazil to the south...
introduced a ban on smoking in all enclosed public and commercial spaces, including malls, restaurants, bars, discos, workplaces, etc.
The owners or managers of the establishments where smoking is banned, must post a notice measuring 80 cm. (31.5 inches) wide and 50 cm (19.7 inches) high; The poster should contain an international smoking ban pictogram and the following text: "Este es un ambiente 100% libre de humo de tabaco, por resolución del ministerio del poder popular para la salud" (This is a 100% Smoke-free environment, by resolution of the Ministry of Popular Power for Health), owners or managers also have the obligation to ensure compliance with this rule.
Owners or managers that do not post the notice or do not ensure compliance with the rule may be penalized with the closure of the establishment and / or a fine that can be up to 190,000 VEF (44,186.05 USD), however, regulation does not provide sanctions for smokers.
To see the notice that should be posted Click Here
To see the official publication of the law Click Here
Vietnam
The Vietnamese government has banned smoking and cigarette sales in offices, production facilities, schools, hospitals, and on public transport nationwide Smoking was banned in enclosed indoor spaces and public facilities in Ho Chi Minh CityHo Chi Minh City
Ho Chi Minh City , formerly named Saigon is the largest city in Vietnam...
in 2005 with the exception of entertainment areas.
A ban has also been imposed on all forms of advertisement, trade promotion, and sponsorship by tobacco companies, as well as cigarette sales through vending machines, or over the telephone and on the Internet.
Zambia
Smoking is prohibited in public places in Zambia and is punishable by a fine of K400,000 or imprisonment of up to two years.Outdoor smoking bans
- It is illegal to smoke on a bus or in a bus shelter in Ireland. It was also the first country in the world to impose a ban on smoking outdoors within 3-metres of a public building.
- In the Australian state of Queensland, smoking is prohibited within four metres of entrances to public buildings, within 10 metres of children's playground equipment, in commercial outdoor eating or drinking areas, at patrolled beaches, and at all major sports stadiums.
- Some beaches in Sydney, Australia have smoking bans in place.
- Smoking indoors or outdoors on land owned by the NSW Department of Education is banned
- From 1 March 2006, in Victoria, Australia, smoking is banned from all covered train platforms, bus and tram stops.
- Cambridge Memorial Hospital in Cambridge, OntarioCambridge, OntarioCambridge is a city located in Southern Ontario at the confluence of the Grand and Speed rivers in the Regional Municipality of Waterloo, Ontario, Canada. It is an amalgamation of the City of Galt, the towns of Preston and Hespeler, and the hamlet of Blair.Galt covers the largest portion of...
, Canada, enacted a total (outdoor) smoking ban, believed to be the first in the entire province if not country, as of October 2004. At the same time, Wilfrid Laurier UniversityWilfrid Laurier UniversityWilfrid Laurier University is a university located in Waterloo, Ontario, Canada. It also has campuses in Brantford, Ontario, Kitchener, Ontario and Toronto, Ontario and a future proposed campus in Milton, Ontario. It is named in honour of Sir Wilfrid Laurier, the seventh Prime Minister of Canada....
in the nearby city of Waterloo, OntarioWaterloo, OntarioWaterloo is a city in Southern Ontario, Canada. It is the smallest of the three cities in the Regional Municipality of Waterloo, and is adjacent to the city of Kitchener....
, proposed a similar total smoking ban on its property, after its 10 metre outdoor proximity ban (enacted in 2002) failed. WLU was presumed to be the third Canadian (public) post-secondary institution to consider such measures, after Carleton and Acadia.- Smoking is prohibited in Hamilton Street RailwayHamilton Street RailwayThe Hamilton Street Railway Company is the Transit Division of the City of Hamilton, Public Works Department in Ontario, Canada. The name is a legacy of the days when the majority of public transit vehicles were streetcars; the present-day Hamilton Street Railway is in fact a bus operator...
bus shelters in Hamilton, OntarioHamilton, OntarioHamilton is a port city in the Canadian province of Ontario. Conceived by George Hamilton when he purchased the Durand farm shortly after the War of 1812, Hamilton has become the centre of a densely populated and industrialized region at the west end of Lake Ontario known as the Golden Horseshoe...
. - It is illegal to smoke on a bus or in a bus shelter in WinnipegWinnipegWinnipeg is the capital and largest city of Manitoba, Canada, and is the primary municipality of the Winnipeg Capital Region, with more than half of Manitoba's population. It is located near the longitudinal centre of North America, at the confluence of the Red and Assiniboine Rivers .The name...
, ManitobaManitobaManitoba is a Canadian prairie province with an area of . The province has over 110,000 lakes and has a largely continental climate because of its flat topography. Agriculture, mostly concentrated in the fertile southern and western parts of the province, is vital to the province's economy; other...
. - It is illegal to smoke on a bus or in a bus shelter as well as any less than 4 metres from any entrance in Halifax, Nova ScotiaNova ScotiaNova Scotia is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the most populous province in Atlantic Canada. The name of the province is Latin for "New Scotland," but "Nova Scotia" is the recognized, English-language name of the province. The provincial capital is Halifax. Nova Scotia is the...
. - Calgary, Alberta, banned all outdoor patio smoking at bars, restaurants and casinos on 1 July 2005. Nova Scotia did the same on 1 December 2006.
- Smoking is prohibited in Hamilton Street Railway
- Calabasas, California, United States, banned smoking in almost all indoor and outdoor public places in 2006, believed to be the strictest ban in the United States. At least 13 California cities (including Los Angeles) have banned smoking on their beaches, at least four other California cities (including San Francisco) ban smoking in parks or outdoor venues. For more information, see List of smoking bans in the United States#Outdoor smoking bans.
- Belmont, CaliforniaBelmont, CaliforniaBelmont is a city in San Mateo County, California, United States. It is in the San Francisco Bay Area, located half-way down the San Francisco Peninsula between San Mateo and San Carlos. It was originally part of the Rancho de las Pulgas, for which one of its main roads, the Alameda de las Pulgas,...
, banned smoking in outdoor places on 25 September 2007. This ban also applies inside condos, apartments and other kinds of multi-unit housing. - California has banned smoking within 20 feet (6.1 m) of entrances to any public building.
- Belmont, California
- Selected wards in Tokyo, Japan, prohibit smoking on the streets. This ban is enforced and violators are fined. In response, free smoking cafes have been provided by Japan TobaccoJapan Tobacco, abbreviated JT, is a cigarette manufacturing company. It is part of the Nikkei 225 index. In 2009 the company was listed at number 312 on the Fortune 500 list. The company is headquartered in Toranomon, Minato, Tokyo. The international headquarters are in Geneva, Switzerland.-History:The company...
.- 56% of Chiyoda wardChiyoda, Tokyois one of the 23 special wards in central Tokyo, Japan. In English, it is called Chiyoda ward. As of October 2007, the ward has an estimated population of 45,543 and a population density of 3,912 people per km², making it by far the least populated of the special wards...
's land area is a no smoking zone as of April 2007. - KyotoKyotois a city in the central part of the island of Honshū, Japan. It has a population close to 1.5 million. Formerly the imperial capital of Japan, it is now the capital of Kyoto Prefecture, as well as a major part of the Osaka-Kobe-Kyoto metropolitan area.-History:...
, Japan, has banned smoking on 7.1 km of its streets in 2007, including busy areas along KawaramachiKawaramachiruns parallel to the west bank of the Kamo River on the eastern side of Kyoto, Japan. Its intersection with Shijō Street is called Shijō Kawaramachi and is a leading shopping district of the city.Both Shijo and Kawaramachi Street are protected with smoking bans....
, Karasuma-dori and Shijo StreetShijo Streetruns center of Kyoto, Japan east to west through the commercial center of the city. Shijō literally means fourth street of Heian-kyō, the ancient capital.- Along the street :...
avenues. - Railway stations in Japan are no-smoking except for a few remaining long distance services.
- 56% of Chiyoda ward
- Many English NHSNational Health Service (England)The National Health Service or NHS is the publicly funded healthcare system in England. It is both the largest and oldest single-payer healthcare system in the world. It is able to function in the way that it does because it is primarily funded through the general taxation system, similar to how...
PCTs ban smoking on it premises both inside and outside hospitals, even places such as the car park and bus stations. - In Hong Kong, smoking ban is imposed on most public recreational areas and beaches. It is up to districts to designate which public recreational areas are exempt, and some ban smoking districtwide. Many playgrounds in public housing estates have also become smoke-free. Some public transport interchanges, as designated by the government, bans smoking since 1 September 2009.
- Smoking is banned on all railway platforms in England, regardless of whether they are covered or not. These measures were introduced well before any national smoking ban for safety reasons
- It is illegal to smoke on the outdoor property of the institutions of public education in Slovenia, penalties are dictated by internal orders of the concerned institutions.
- It is illegal to smoke in some bus shelters (complex rules determine which, leading to them being largely ignored) and phone boxes in Scotland.
Other restrictions
In some countries, such as Germany, India and Russia, bans enacted earlier allow for smoking sections in restaurants, as well as possible special rooms for use by smokers in other workplaces (though many employers prefer not to incur the costs of building and maintaining such rooms).- Turkmenistan, under decree from President for lifePresident for LifePresident for Life is a title assumed by some dictators to remove their term limit, in the hope that their authority, legitimacy, and term will never be disputed....
Saparmurat NiyazovSaparmurat NiyazovSaparmurat Atayevich Niyazov; , was a Turkmen politician who served as President of Turkmenistan from 2 November 1990 until his death in 2006...
, has banned the chewing of tobacco. - All public and Catholic schools in the Region of Waterloo in OntarioOntarioOntario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
, Canada, banned smoking on school property in Autumn 1994. A province-wide smoking ban on school property was slated to begin for the 2007/2008 school year in British ColumbiaBritish ColumbiaBritish Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
, Canada. - A tobacco fatwaTobacco fatwaA Tobacco fatwa is a fatwa that prohibits the usage of tobacco by Muslims.-Indonesia:Indonesia's Muslim organization Muhammadiyah declared smoking haram in 2010; the orgnanization had previously listed smoking as merely Makruh...
was issued in Iran in 1891 and Egypt in 2000. - Australia has a federal law prohibiting the manufacture and sale of all smokeless tobacco products. The sale of oral snuff and chewing tobacco has been banned since 1989 under the Trade Practices Act 1974.
Proposed bans
In the Czech Republic, there is a bill to prohibit smoking in all public areas and in all enclosed areas in pubs, restaurants, bars and others that do not have a separate room designated for smoking that has permanent ventilation and does not have an effect on smoke-free sections. There have recently been several bills proposing similar smoking restrictions, but these have never been enacted by the Chamber of DeputiesChamber of Deputies
Chamber of deputies is the name given to a legislative body such as the lower house of a bicameral legislature, or can refer to a unicameral legislature.-Description:...
.
New Caledonia
New Caledonia
New Caledonia is a special collectivity of France located in the southwest Pacific Ocean, east of Australia and about from Metropolitan France. The archipelago, part of the Melanesia subregion, includes the main island of Grande Terre, the Loyalty Islands, the Belep archipelago, the Isle of...
is likely to introduce restrictions on smoking in public places following a recent 25-nation global air-quality monitoring initiative.
Niue
Niue
Niue , is an island country in the South Pacific Ocean. It is commonly known as the "Rock of Polynesia", and inhabitants of the island call it "the Rock" for short. Niue is northeast of New Zealand in a triangle between Tonga to the southwest, the Samoas to the northwest, and the Cook Islands to...
is considering banning tobacco completely, and is seeking the cooperation of Australia and New Zealand to ensure that no tobacco can be imported into the country.
Singapore citizens launched an online campaign to support the proposal to prevent the supply of tobacco to Singaporeans born from the year 2000.