Parliament rejects smoking ban

A bill introducing a smoking ban in all public areas was rejected by the Czech parliament on Thursday. Czech lawmakers sent the bill back to the lower house’s economic and health committees. Communist leader Vojtěch Filip, who proposed the move, said there were too many amending motions to the bill. The smoking ban bill might be approved in various versions, ranging from softer anti-smoking measures to a general smoking ban in restaurants and bars. Critics of the smoking ban claim that it would hurt restaurants and bar owners, while its supporters argue that the experience of countries such as France and Ireland, which have introduced a similar ban, point to the contrary. In the Czech Republic, an estimated 50 to 60 people die daily of diseases caused by smoking. Statistics suggest that roughly 25 percent of Czechs smoke.

Author: Jan Richter