First smokers' club opensSmokers are free to light up behind the closed doors of a new ‘members only’ club in Alicante.
The club – believed to be the first legally registered smokers’ club in the Valencia region –has attracted more than 200 members, all aged over 18.
Meanwhile in Greece:
Smoking will be once again permitted in Greece given the country’s poor financial situation [but smoking bans are good for business! ASH says so]. The new measure will allow smokers to smoke inside casinos and big nightclubs exceeding 300m2.
According to the decision of Finance and Health Ministers, Mr. Venizelos and Mr. Loverdos, casino and big nightclub owners will be authorized to set up a smoking area, which could cover 50% of the total acreage of their business.
Meanwhile in France:
Gentleman's smoking lounge makes Parisian comebackWhile most people are obliged to freeze on the pavement to keep up their cigarette habit, since the ban was introduced three years ago, a growing number of nightspots are offering exclusive and law-abiding shelter for smokers, complete with pianos, leather armchairs, and cigar lockers.
French law still allows indoor smoking spaces provided they have state-of-the-art ventilation and that no staff operate inside.
Consenting adults making grown up decisions for themselves — could this radical idea ever catch on?
This all comes after the Netherlands, Germany, Croatia, Portugal, Belgium, Denmark, Macedonia, Poland, the Czech Republic and several other countries relaxed their smoking bans (or introduced limited bans from the outset). The British media continues put out the message that the whole world is adopting the "comprehensive" smoking ban. The truth is that, along with the Irish, we have a ban that is exceptionally draconian, uncompromising and intolerant.
The lights are coming back on all over Europe. If you haven't signed the petition to review the English smoking ban, do it now.
