Tobacco.org

• Two bills tighten screws on illegal smoking in public 

Placing ashtrays in no-smoking areas of restaurants and other eateries will be prohibited, according to the decision reached yesterday in the Finance Committee during deliberations of private bills submitted separately by MKs Gilad Erdan (Likud) and Yoel Hasson (Kadima). They would toughen enforcement of no smoking regulations in public places with a municipal mechanism established to do so.

Both bills substantially increase the fine for smoking in public places and for business owners who fail to enforce no-smoking regulations or to provide separate smoking and no-smoking areas. Erdan's bill also grants a claimant compensation of NIS 3,000 in the event of exposure to smoking in public places, without the obligation to prove any damages.

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