It is not possible to take unequivocally the anti-tobacco initiatives and laws. On the one hand, smoking is a completely traditional way to ruin one's health, enjoying it. On the other hand, non-smokers have the right to be dissatisfied with the fact that a tobacco lover inevitably controls their health.
Legislative initiatives designed to safeguard the rights of non-smokers from their forced nicotine poisoning are generally reasonable. But sometimes they take bizarre forms.
10. Finland
The government of this state set a goal to get a completely non-smoking country by 2040. These ideas are quite old, and anti-tobacco laws have been gradually tightened since 1977. Nevertheless, today they are quite liberal - you can smoke at home (who would doubt it!) And in any place that is not considered “public”.
Penalties for violation are relatively humane - from 50 to 170 euros. But if a teenager is caught with a cigarette, he faces imprisonment. Young people are brought up severely, a distant sight is visible. Despite ambitious plans, in Finland every fifth still smokes.
9. Sweden
The funny Scandinavians do not want to lag behind the “hot Finnish guys” and also set themselves the goal of achieving a completely non-smoking country. True, a little more cautious - by 2050. Well, that’s how they joined the World Health Organization’s anti-tobacco initiatives, only thinking in 2005.
True, they approached the matter with practicality and thoroughness: smoking is allowed only in bars and restaurants. But they showed Jesuit cruelty, having prescribed in the law as places for smoking "separate enclosed spaces in which it is forbidden to eat and drink."
Well, how is it: in a restaurant - and not eat for a cigarette? One mockery. Practical Swedes thought, thought, and found a loophole. Many cafes have retrained into "private clubs with paid membership." And here the owner of the club has the right to start a special charter in his monastery. “Membership” is acquired in such a restaurant by any visitor at the time of ordering the menu.
8. Ireland
This country was the first to support the WHO anti-tobacco initiatives announced in 2004. And famously imposed a fine of 3,000 euros for smoking anywhere, unless it was specifically designated by the authorities.
You can try to smoke in a cafe or restaurant - but the owner will quickly stop this disgrace, fearing a fine of 10,000 euros. It is especially disappointing for the Irish that smoking was banned in pubs - sacred places for every real Irish. Well, what a glass of beer without a cigarette ?!
7. France
Vivacious Frenchmen joined the anti-tobacco round dance in 2008. And, not wanting to deny themselves the usual pleasures, they set a fine quite humane by European standards: only 68 euros.
Moreover, smoking is officially allowed on the terraces of catering establishments (how Swedes envy them!) And ... on the deck of a ship.
One happy year for smokers - 2007 - could be raised in a disco or in a restaurant hall. But, "music did not last long." Today this pleasure "costs" 135 euros. Now a paradox is often observed: the restaurant is empty - and there is no place to drop an apple on the terrace.
6. Germany
Methodical Germans, having joined the round dance of bans at the same time as the French, cast the wording in cast iron: “smoking is allowed only in special, enclosed spaces”. And the point. For violation, a fine of 25 to 250 euros.
It is not entirely clear what caused the tenfold difference in the amount of the fine - dozens of paragraphs, subparagraphs and circulars should be carefully studied. But it is known for sure that a taxi driver in whose car smells of tobacco is fined 1,000 euros. (Yes, and right).
However, the burghers, who are accustomed to a cigarette, do not get tired of grumbling, recalling that Hitler personally signed the first anti-tobacco laws in the late thirties, and insultingly call names on the deputies.
5. Japan
Executive Japanese "took the visor" in 2009. Anticipating the variety of situations and circumstances in which a violation is possible, they have obviously established a very wide range of penalties - (in terms of euros) from about 25 to 1,000.
And - they established peculiar prohibitions. You can smoke in the air - but not everywhere. On the street - but not on everyone. In homes - but not in any room.
In general, "everything that is not forbidden is permitted," but much is forbidden. It's funny that on most of the "forbidden" streets they can still smoke - but only women.
4. UK
Joining the anti-tobacco convention a year later than Sweden (in 2006), the stiff Englishmen approached the matter with British pedantry - and with a share of peculiar English humor. Smoking is allowed at home (as prescribed by law!); in the hotel room; on the street and ... in prison.
Smoking in any sports complexes and stadiums is completely unacceptable. And in Scotland, in addition, smoking is unacceptable at public transport stops. The violator is entitled to a fine of 2,500 euros.
3. USA
Entrepreneurial Americans, after much debate, joined WHO's tobacco control initiatives in 2010. And immediately took advantage of the right of every state in the United States to establish sovereign laws. Smoking patterns and penalties can suddenly change as soon as you cross an invisible line indicated by a colorful billboard.
Fines range from 250 to 1,000 US dollars, depending on the state and the specific violated clause of the law. A common ban is smoking in government offices, sports facilities and in hospitals.
Most states have banned smoking in bars and restaurants. In New York, smoking is prohibited in public parks, squares, and the surrounding streets. And California is generally non-smoking - you can smoke only at home (this is important!) At home.
Not wanting to lag behind their historical parents - the British - the Americans also accompanied their laws with some kind of humor. True, not so exquisite.
In Illinois, for smoking in a car (that is) with a child under eight, a parent faces a prison. At the same time, the owner of a cafe in which "even hang an ax" will only pay $ 2,500. And, yes, - regardless of state, "it is allowed to smoke freely in prison."
2. India
A country that is hard for Europeans to understand. The penalty for smoking outside the permitted places seems ridiculous to us - just the price of one pack of cigarettes. But in a country of total poverty (and even hunger), a family can live on this amount for a week.
Tobacco smoking is allowed only on the street, and in specially designated places (the ban does not apply to incense).
Many people smoke - almost every fifth. But this is official statistics, which in India, for objective reasons, is very difficult to maintain. Given that in fact the smoking ban is not respected anywhere and by anyone, it can be assumed that the “kuryag”, in fact, is more than the official 250 million.
1. Greece
Having joined the Convention, one of the last (in 2010), the Greeks approached the matter with traditional Balkan dashing. And immediately imposed the most severe fines for smoking outside designated areas.
From 50 to 200 euros, smoking costs in any of the “tobacco-free” zones. In the not very clear "particularly grave" cases, the fine may amount to 3,000 euros. The repeat offender owes the treasury as much as 10,000. At the same time, the restrictions are strict: you can smoke only at home and in “specially designated places”.
No one abides by the ban. According to official statistics, Greece is the most smoking country in the European Union. Moreover, the owners of some cafes openly sell cigarettes to visitors and serve tables with ashtrays. And none of them is embarrassed by the fine prescribed by law of 10,000 euros.