The government is set to go ahead with its plans to amend the Act on Protection of Non-Smokers with one of the main changes being the prohibition of smoking at cafes in shopping centres.
The ban should come into force on 1 July this year and will mean tougher rules for everyone. The owners of these kinds of cafes, and others, can set up a smoking booth if they want, as long as the smoke doesn’t get out into the public area. Bars and cafes that don’t sell food can still decide whether to be pro or against smoking in their establishments, however.
Fan daba dozy, the whole smoking thing seems to be like in the UK about 20yrs ago when it looked cool to smoke. You smoke because your a highly anxious individual who cannot cope with stress.
Looking fwd to arriving in Bratislava next month to exploit what is a ridiculous communistic style system.
As an aside, anyone who smokes with kids in their car (as is very common here) should be taken out and flogged, tarred and feathered. Shockingly selfish behaviour and I’m surprised that more progressive EU countries haven’t taken the lead and banned this.
We all know second hand smoke is dangerous.
Many countries around the world have managed just fine with non smoking laws. Slovakia will be a better place for it. Puff in designated areas and outside. Welcome to 2013. Great law!
I am sorry to admit this but I am addicted to the weed. Having said that I never smoked indoors unless others are and haven’t since the smoking regs were applied in the UK. I hope the SVK applies some common to this though, bad enough in the UK huddled in a shed having a puff during an English summer, can’t image what doing the same in a SVK winter would be like. If the owner of a premises allows smoking, then as long as it is clearly stated and customers can make their own choice whether to enter or not I don’t see a problem. A blanket ban would destroy many businesses. Smoking in public areas is another blurred issue. Two years ago a woman pushed her way infront of us while we were watching the New Year fireworks and then had the cheek to complain about me smoking – private space not an issue here? Of course it’s like most things here – selling booze in gaming shops etc, if it is’nt policed it won’t make any difference.
~~~A blanket ban would destroy many businesses~~~
Sorry, I disagree .
Not sure why anyone can defend a smoker, or the habit , their smoking rights and their long list of daft and anti-social excuses, why they should be allowed to just puff away in any public places .
As you rightly say DC , it is an addiction as with any other drug should be controlled . They cost what 5 quid a packet of 20, x7=35 euro a week, nearly 2000 euro a year , that is without the cost of the healthcare .
A good holiday could be had for that 2K sum ?
GIVE IT UP !
Unlike the UK or the US there is very little social stigma to smoking ( or drinking to excess) it’s seen as acceptable behaviour. BA may be more cosmopolitan than here in the sticks where almost every bar and cafe has the atmosphere of a kipper-house. A blanket ban may prevent the increase in the incidence of taking up smoking but the hardened smokers will not stop, they will just move, en-mass, to those premises that offer smoking areas. Many of the premises which currently enjoy a reasonable trade do not have the facilities for separate areas and would therefore be competing for the trade of the non-smoking element and would have a much reduced potential client base.
The cost of fags in the SVK is from Euro 2.50 for 20 upwards but still less than half the price in the UK. Even though they are relatively cheap there is a well reported booming market in both snide and smuggled tobacco. Your point on heath care is valid – I would like to know the true cost of drink and smoking related illnesses in the SVK and see both products taxed to reflect this – fat chance, you can tear up the constitution, ignore the law and till dip to your hearts content but touch the booze and the fags and there would be a revolution.
Smoking in Malls/shopping centers is horrible! I smoke, but never around my family or inside! It is grose and I feel bad for the shop owners around these establishments as their product tends to reek of the smoke as well as their shops! Smoking in all closed or public closed…mind you closed areas, should be banned… even restricted from a certain distance to entrances and common areas. Sure, provide som sort of cover from the weather, but in all, we aren’t smoking in Airplanes anymore!
Pray tell me Cowpat, not smoking around people, children, young babies, does not stop you, or your breath smelling of smoke . Passive smoking of fag smaoke, is almost as bad as smoking them yourself .
As an intellectual `Pat, dont you think you should just stop smoking ? Think of your children man?
I am a non smoker but I believe smokers have rights too.It’s ridiculous that people who drink one glass of water per evening when they go to a pub or cafe are given preference over those who spend real money.
These facilities should be allowed to choose which category they want as their customers.Smokers welcome, non smokers welcome. If you choose to go to a class place that allows smoking, and you don’t smoke, then there should be a sheltered place provided outside when you can partake of your drink.
“The owners of these kinds of cafes, and others, can set up a smoking booth if they want, as long as the smoke doesn’t get out into the public area”
– ***** INTO THE PUBLIC AREA *****-
Smug , How can smokers have `rights` in a Public place or a place where the public go and by smoke, can cause them proven death and/or heath problems.
What next sniffin cocaine, shooting LSD, etc , etc …
What about my rights ??? ……….What about me walking into my local with a barrow load of cow dung, to sniff…? Mind you in most Slovak pubs, who would notice the dung smell from the locals ?
Whilst I broadly agree with all you have said – How would you define a “public space” – public buildings, theatres, bus/train stations, buses and trains, shops and cafes all fine and I agree but a street or a forest is a public place so would you ban smoking in those areas? BTW – You can’t smoke in the central square of LM unless your sat at a cafe table – no walking about having a puff – not a problem for me but some signs would be helpfull.
DC, oh please ! I know I have noone else to pick on here but …`How would you define a “public space” ` ..anywhere where there are human being within breathin space . The difficult bit is do we consider Slowvaks as the same as the rest of us or even worth the bother ? Still I believe the Law on this could err on the side of all of us normals, no ?
Smoking, is bad for you, smells is unhealthy and anti social and no different in rudeness to someone fartin on a full bus or a tram …Do it ,if you really blooming must , in you own home or garden and live the public places toxic free …
George M. – Yes where is Loggie – in the sin bin?
I define a public space as anywhere the public can freely go but to that end if I’m having a fag on the top of a mountain should I have to stop because a non-smoker then invades my private space and objects? I’m giving up so the more regulation there is the better as far as I am concerned.
Business owners should be able to decide if they wish to run smoking/non-smoking premises, there is no need to legislate leave it to customer choice.
Dave, Dave Dave, your smoking a dangerous, addictive drug. The Only reason you can buy it still in the shops is because no Government ( well perhaps the Auzzie on) has the courage to ban it totally . It is political no, no, because of the Fag lobby, jobs, etc etc that does not make it a right of anyone . STOP SMOKING …you will also feel much better .
BTW. Nobhead, I did ask JB, silence so far. Perhaps he was arrested as Spy in China . Just waiting for the tragic JOJ news story now …you know he was a good son of Slowvakia, kept his ears clean, washed his feet etc .
Yahoooooooooo !