Romania, one of the last countries in the European Union not to impose restrictions on smokers, today banned smoking in enclosed public places and play areas. "Romania was among the last EU countries where such a ban did not existSaid a consultant from the Ministry of Health, Magdalena Ciobanu, noting that the Czech Republic is in the process of tightening legislation in this area.
Adopted at the end of December after a long legal battle between elected officials claiming "defend human rightsAnd supporters of "right to health”, This law provides for a ban on smoking in closed public spaces, including clubs and bars, as well as in the workplace. However, it will still be possible to smoke in specially equipped areas in airports and prisons.
These provisions have been described asdiscriminatoryBy opponents of the law, who challenged it in the Constitutional Court. Their arguments were refuted this week by the judges. "This is a landmark decision of the Court, which rules that smoking is not a human right», Estimated Magdalena Ciobanu. Romania initially introduced the obligation for restaurants to offer non-smoking areas, but this text was not respected.
Now forced to completely ban smoking indoors, restaurant and club owners say they expect their turnover to drop. According to a survey carried out by the IRES Institute and published on Wednesday, nearly four Romanians out of five nevertheless declared themselves in favor of the ban on smoking in confined spaces and only one in ten opposed it.
In addition, the number of smokers has dropped significantly: if 28% of Romanians over 15 years of age said in 2009 that they smoke daily, they are now only 18%. Three quarters (75%) of the people questioned say they do not smoke.
Source : lefigaro.fr
