On 10 June the lower house once again discussed the smoking ban. Out of the three proposals of the new law – ranging from completely banning smoking in restaurants, pubs and bars to stickers marking a non-smoking, smoking or combined establishments – it was the last and least “harmless” proposal that won in the end.
Restaurant owners will now have the right to decide what kind of establishment they are running and will be obliged to indicate this with a sticker at the entrance, otherwise they might face a fine of CZK 5,000.
MPs who favour a complete ban accuse MPs who are smokers of promoting their personal interests. “Sticker law” proponent Zdeněk Lhota (ODS), an occasional smoker, told Lidové noviny he himself prefers non-smoking restaurants and is doing it for the owners, some of whom could face bankruptcy if there were a complete ban.
Imperial Tobacco and Philip Morris deny anti-ban lobbying while British American Tobacco told Lidové noviny lobbying represents a “positive phenomenon bringing knowledge and relevant data to the lower house to help the MPs decide correctly”.
• Should MPs who smoke support the smoking ban?
• Is the lobbying of tobacco companies really “helpful”?
• Do you prefer smoking or non-smoking establishments and are you yourself a smoker?
