Will the No Smoking Law Go Up In Smoke?
The law inciting “no smoking in public places” took effect in France in February, or did it? As far as I could tell, there was absolutely nothing different from before or after. People still light up in bars, restaurants and cafés.
In reality this law has been around for awhile, but up until now it has not been implicated. Restaurants have been required to have a smoking section and a non-smoking section where the latter was suppose to be twice as large. When restaurateurs saw that no one was actually enforcing this law and that smokers made up the larger part of their clientele, needless to say, the smokers slowly invaded the non-smoking territory until things went back to normal.
I’m not talking about just anyone here, I’m talking about people who eat a three or four course dinner and very often smoke a cigarette between each course! Okay, a little exaggeration perhaps, but not by much. My friends would say, “Please, perhaps a cigarette or two during the meal, but not three or four!”
Changes have come slowly to this country where non-smokers happen to be in the minority, but I must admit more and more people are choosing to quit. Nevertheless, this is a very touchy subject about the rights of people. I’ve heard both sides from friends who want to smoke and those who no longer want to suffer the consequences of second-hand smoke. How this is going to play out is anybody’s guess, but it will be interesting to watch.
Photo credit: flickr
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5 opinions for Will the No Smoking Law Go Up In Smoke?
Jon
Jan 25, 2007 at 5:59 pm
There are two things about Paris travelers need to accept - people smoke everywhere, I’ve even seen it on the trains; and second, watch your step, as dog-loving Parisians don’t always (never?) clean up after their dogs.
lynnrodz
Jan 26, 2007 at 2:57 am
Jon, you’re right, that haze over Paris is not pollution, it’s all that cigarette smoke! (I’m joking!) Kinda… As for man’s best friend, depending on who you ask, some estimate there are as many as a quarter of a million dogs in Paris! No wonder why we have to always keep an eye out on where we’re walking!
Le Bar à Vins du Cinéma des Cinéastes
Aug 3, 2007 at 1:39 pm
[...] you could smoke and that was reason enough for some of us! (Hmm, it’s going to take time for Parisians to stop smoking, you know [...]
tips to help quit smoking
Nov 20, 2008 at 10:21 am
The smoking issue is very complicated. If you are peaceful person who don’t want to offend someone by telling him or her to go and smoke somewhere else (that can seem and is very rude) it is going to be quite hard for you to find solutions that can solve the conflict between smokers and the public smoking law.
I’m a non-smoker but the majority of my friends do smoke and I totally agree with you that his is a very touchy subject.
Thanks for the post, keep blogging! ;)
Charlie R
Lynn
Nov 23, 2008 at 6:42 pm
Thanks Charlie! It is hard, I have a number of friends who are still ranting about the changes that have taken place and what about their rights as smokers, etc….die hard Parisian smokers, what can I say!
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