Smokers in Slovenia are facing tighter restrictions this summer as the National Assembly is expected to pass amendments to the anti-smoking act in the first half of this year. The amendments which were adopted by the government in the end of April envisage further restrictions of smoking in all indoor public and work places.
As many EU countries have already enforced various levels of smoking bans in indoor public places, including restaurants, it is "time for a debate at the EU level", EU Health Commissioner Markos Kyprianou said at a recent presentation of the anti-smoking green paper in Brussels.
"A total ban on smoking would be the most effective approach," said Kyprianou, calling on all EU members to follow the example of Ireland, Italy, Malta and Sweden, which have banned smoking in all indoor public places.
A Eurobarometer survey has shown that the ban on smoking in closed public and work places is supported by 80% of EU citizens, and by 70% of smokers.
According to data by the Slovenian Health Ministry, smoking has been on the decrease in Slovenia in the past decade, with the share of smokers among adults at 23.7% in 2003. However, the share of smokers among 15 and 16-year-olds is increasing, allegedly standing at 28% in 2003.
A ministry's survey has meanwhile shown that 87.6% of Slovenians support tougher anti-smoking measures as envisaged in the new draft legislation.
Under the proposed amendments, which have already been sent to parliament, smoking would be allowed only in areas where employees cannot be exposed to second-hand smoke.
Exceptions to the general smoking ban would include open public areas, special smoking hotel rooms, special smoking areas in elderly care centres and jails and special smoking rooms in bars and other work places.
The amendments also envisage the raising of the age limit for persons buying cigarettes from the current 15 to 18 years of age. Retailers would have to check the age of buyers, as is the case with alcohol, while persons who sell tobacco products would have to be at least 18.
An association of bar owners has called on the Health Ministry to change the proposal so as to allow bars to decide whether they are smoking or non-smoking. There are also concerns that the amendments would considerably affect catering in Slovenia.
Kyprianou responded to the concerns, which are also being raised in other countries, by saying that the restaurants in which a smoking ban was introduced "did not go bankrupt as people still eat and drink in such restaurants".
A number of health NGOs proposed to the Health Ministry to introduce even stricter measures, including an idea to equip all tobacco products with a telephone number of a quit-smoking hot line.
The first EU member to introduce a total ban on smoking in closed public places was Ireland in 2004. Following its example were Italy, Malta and Sweden, where smoking is however allowed in separated and ventilated smoking rooms in restaurants and bars.
According to Kyprianou, such initiatives proved encouraging, as even Germany, which is known as "a paradise for smokers", has seen the emergence of a debate on how to restrict smoking. He hopes all EU members will have a single anti-smoking policy by the end of his term in 2009.
As of 2007, smoking is banned in all premises of the European Parliament and European Commission, while smoking is still allowed at the Council of Europe and the Court of Audits, though only in special smoking rooms.
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