Turkey extends smoke ban to bars, restaurants
Categories:
· Tobacco control
International:
· Europe
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Source:http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/,2009-07-17
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Turkey: Turkey, a nation of smokers, on Sunday extended a ban on indoor public smoking to bars, restaurants, and even to traditionally
smoke-filled village coffeehouses.
The ban came into effect despite protests from bar and coffeehouse owners who fear it will ruin businesses that have already been hit hard by the economic crisis.
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan's Islamic-oriented government barred smoking in offices, public transport and other public places in May 2008 in an effort to reduce the country's high smoking rates and the effects of secondhand smoke on people's health. Bars, restaurants and cafes were given a grace period that ended at midnight Saturday.
"The country woke up this morning having carried out a cigarette revolution," commented Radikal newspaper on Sunday. "Smokeless life has begun," headlined Milliyet newspaper.
Health minister Recep Akdag says smoking rates have dropped 7 percent since May 2008, when the ban on indoor smoking was introduced. He says more people will give up smoking now that bars, restaurants, cafes and hookah bars are also smoke-free.
The government has dismissed the bar and coffeehouse owners' protests and rejected requests that special smoking rooms be set up to make sure that smokers keep coming.
"There is no reason for (cafe and bar owners) to be worried. The public supports a smoke-free environment and the only ones to suffer will be the cigarette producers and sellers," Akdag told reporters.
"We are working to protect our future, to save our youth," Akdag said.
Under the new legislation, patrons violating the ban will be fined 69 Turkish Lira ($45), while owners who do not enforce the ban could be fined between 560 and 5,600 Turkish Lira ($366-$3,660). Littering with cigarette butts carries a 25 Turkish Lira ($16) fine.
Turkey also set up a 4,500-person force to carry out surprise checks on bars, restaurants and coffeehouses and help enforce the ban. Two health officials, accompanied by police, were seen inspecting bars and restaurants in Istanbul's Bakirkoy district on Sunday, the state-run Anatolia news agency reported.
"To smoke like a Turk" is an expression used in many European countries to describe heavy smokers and the government says more than 100,000 people die annually in Turkey from smoking-related illnesses.
The government insists the ban has the public's support. But there was little evidence of that support on Sakarya street in Ankara, lined by fast food outlets and bars.
Posters on windows read: "We oppose cigarettes as well as the smoking ban." Bar and restaurant owners were planning to stage a protest later on Sunday.
An association of coffeehouse owners said it would take legal action to try and have the ban overturned, saying it would take 70,000 establishments to the brink of bankruptcy.
"Ninety-five percent of the people who frequent coffeehouses are smokers. The ban will force the establishments to close down one by one since smokers will stop coming," said Huseyin Menekse, who heads the association. |
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