Paris and Berlin ban cafe smoking (BBC)

[eppur_se_muova]

Smoking has been banned in bars in the capitals of France and Germany but the laws will not be enforced immediately.

Eight German states, including Berlin, have ushered in 2008 declaring their pubs and restaurants smoke-free.

Almost a third of Germans smoke and the authorities in Berlin have decided not to enforce the restrictions actively for the first six months.

In France, a law forbidding smoking in public places has now been extended to bars, cafes and hotels.

Grace period

Paris reporter Hugh Schofield says attitudes to smoking have changed dramatically in France in the past year and any fears that people will generally ignore the new law can be discarded.
***
more: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/7166159.stm

[wtmusic]

1. And Illinois

:applause:

[sasquatch]

2. But what will they do in their Olive Gardens?

:shrug:



























:D:rofl::hide:

[wtmusic]

5. Do what all Olive Gardens do

Charge too much for crappy food (what the hell is an Olive Garden anyway? Don't olives grow on trees? Shouldn't it be "Olive Grove"?) :crazy:

[greyl]

3. And soon there'll be no drinking or talking, either.

Oh right, this is the Health forum. :)
Not the best time to quote Eddie Izzard.

[HamdenRice]

8. Do you think

that drinking and talking have health effects comparable to smoking? Or do you just adore big corporations that produce products that kill people?

[greyl]

10. If anyone is confused, Eddie Izzard is a comedian. Comedians tell jokes.

The tobacco companies should either be out of business or transform into hemp companies.

[UndertheOcean]

4. They should invent some contraption that eliminates second hand smoking altogether

then smoking will be just like drinking , self abuse.

Then they can lift such bans.

[trotsky]

6. Funny how this is one of the only issues on which the US has been more progressive than Europe.

Considering the power of the tobacco lobby in this country, I kinda wonder how that happened.

[Celebration]

9. some of the legislators

don't like breathing second hand smoke. It is a clear health/workplace risk. Also, there are a higher percentage of smokers in Europe than here, so they also have had some political power.

[Eurobabe]

12. Me too, but I think the tobacco lobby is alive and well here too.

:(

[catnhatnh]

7. Life is a......

Whole Grain
Non-Transfat
Cholesteral Free
Pate-less
Drink Responsibly
Smoke Free
...Cabaret my Friend,
WHY go to Cabaret???

[Eurobabe]

11. Bavaria has FINALLY banned smoking in restaurants

it was a long uphill climb, but now non-smokers will be able to really enjoy a meal out. Sometimes the restaurants were so disgusting from all the smokers we would walk out rather than eat there. Especially the Italian places. Go figure?