Tue, Feb 09 2010

Ban on smoking in public places in Croatia comes into effect

Mon, Oct 27 2008 15:35 CET 689 Views

A ban on smoking in public institutions and workplaces came into effect in Croatia on October 27 2008, while there is a six-month grace period for restaurants and bars to comply.

The tobacco industry in the country has six months to comply with a requirement to have health warnings on the backs of cigarette packets, covering 40 per cent of the area. Packets must also display graphic images of the consequences of smoking to discourage people from the habit.

Restaurants and bar will be allowed to permit smoking on terraces and may have separate smoking rooms, but no food or drink may be served in these rooms.

Breaking the law will carry huge fines, up to 21 000 euro for proprietors of places where the ban is broken. Individuals who light up where smoking is forbidden will also face large fines.

One exception is allowed regarding the ban at medical institutions - smoking at psychiatric clinics will not be banned.

Croatian website Javno reported Andrija Hebrang, of the ruling Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) member, as saying during debate in parliament that limiting the use of tobacco products could save 3000 lives of non-smokers a year in Croatia.

"The protection of non-smokers is the fundamental purpose of the proposed law," Hebrang said.

She said that the law would counteract the rise in smoking among children. Statistics say that in Croatia in recent years, the number of boy first-graders who smoke has gone up five per cent and girl first-graders by three per cent.

 

Write comment

Name:Comment:

Generate new code
Send your comment

By posting a comment, you are deemed to have read and agreed to our
Acceptable Use Policy.

Smoking in public places banned from June 2010

Bulgaria joins other countries in banning smoking in workplaces and public buildings

More in this category

Record number former State Security agents among Academy of Science management

First time the ratio of former collaborators is above 10 percent of records examined.

Bulgaria faced with another blizzard on February 10-11

Weather conditions in Bulgaria on February 10-11 will become 'forbidding' according to the forecast.

Bulgarian troops return from Afghanistan

260 Bulgarian soldiers landed at Sofia Airport from Kandahar on February 8 2010.

Bulgaria ‘could win Eurovision 2010’ – Miro

Having chosen its contestant to go to Oslo for Eurovision 2010, on February 28 Bulgaria will choose the song that he will sing.

Ropotamo River bursts its banks affecting roads in the region

Up to 90cm of snow cover in the region between Kurdzhali and Assenovgrad, while near Adrino snow cover is more than 70cm