In other nations smoking bans have been relaxed (Holland, Croatia, Poland), or were relaxed to begin with (Portugal, Denmark, Belgium), or are simply ignored (Holland again, Greece and everywhere outside Europe).
And it seems that I am not alone in observing this...
While partial or total smoking bans have been introduced in many European countries ending patrons' ability to smoke in bars, cafes and other public venues, it is still relatively easy in some states to find a bolt-hole where smokers are welcome, whether due to exceptions to such laws or owners flouting the bans.
We can't be having that now, can we? And the response from the (unelected) European Commission should come as no surprise.
Health commissioner John Dalli has said he wants to put a stop to this.
"We need a complete ban on smoking in all public spaces, transport and the workplace," he said in an interview on Monday (11 October) with German daily Die Welt.
The EU wanting to override national sovereignty is not a massive shock. And there had been noises on the smoking front.
Announcing that Brussels is currently preparing a bill to be brought forward next year, he said that exceptions should no longer be tolerated
Then perhaps they could start by banning smoking in the EU's offices, where the last attempt to stop MEPs smoking ended within weeks after the political class revolted?
The commission will furthermore try to win agreement on rules making tobacco products no longer visible to customers and make packaging as unattractive as possible. The packets are to be made identical in appearance and to bear colourful warning pictures, such as of diseased lungs, as well as more information on the toxins the product contains.
"The more uniform and bland packaging the cigarettes are, the better," said the commissioner.
Quite. And who better to make things bland and uniform than the European Commission?
