Tobacco.org

Total ban on smoking mooted 

The possibility of smoking being banned in all public places is an option being seriously considered by the Health Ministry, sources said yesterday, as officials held talks with workers’ unions with a view to overhauling the current ban, which is generally accepted to have been a flop.

The scientists on the steering committee that is examining Greece’s smoking laws yesterday advised the government to impose a blanket ban in place of the current regulations, which offer various loopholes and have proved too complicated for many business owners to understand or implement.

“A new law was passed seven months ago but it had many problems,” said Health Minister Mariliza Xenogiannakopoulou. “This has been made clear to us during meetings with workers’ representatives. The problems have to do with contradictions and the lack of thought that has gone into the regulations.”

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