ITALY: All was quiet on the no-smokes front as Italy's 12 million-strong army of smokers took to the streets, the hallways and the courtyards yesterday on the first day legislation banning smoking in all enclosed public places came into effect.
From Palermo in Sicily to Udine in Friuli, smokers were to be seen standing on the footpath outside bars, enjoying their cigarettes in the open air. Under the terms of the new law, smoking is not allowed in public places (bars, restaurants, public offices, schools, hospitals, airports, gyms, theatres, cinemas, discos etc) which do not have a special smokers-only area equipped with an air recycling unit and sealed off from the rest of the premises.
Given the cost of installing such an area, it was always highly unrealistic to expect many bars and restaurants to set aside a "smokers' room". Thus, those addicted to the nicotine habit have no option in most parts of Italy but step outside, throw down their gloves and light up. Otherwise, they risk incurring a €275 fine, while the owner of the premises could be fined up to €2,200.
In truth, the implementation of Health Minister Mr Girolamo Sirchia's new law yesterday proved relatively non-traumatic because many bars and restaurants had long since, of their own volition, adopted a no-smoking policy. That is not to say there are not pro-smoking hardliners, such as the members of the "Io Fumo" (I smoke) association of Legnano, near Milan, who yesterday announced plans to petition for a referendum that would abrogate Mr Sirchia's new law.
Such nicotine Luddites could find support in high places. Ushers in parliament yesterday found that not every deputy was observing the new law, while Defence Minister Mr Antonio Martino declared he would continue to smoke, even at cabinet meetings. Mr Sirchia might have trouble enforcing the law, even in his own backyard.
