| Turkish parliament bans cigarettes smoking in bars
Earlier smoking ban in Turkey was applied to autobuses, planes and big public organizations. New law, which was supported by the premier minister of the country Recep Tayyip Erdogan, forbids smoking in all government establishments, offices, restaurants, bars, cafes, shopping centers, schools, stadiums and hospitals.
Moreover, those who want to smoke outside near schools, hotels, mental houses, retirement homes and prisons, will have to smoke their cigarettes in special smoking rooms. The same special rooms for smokers will be equipped at big sport arrangements and concerts. The owners of the establishments, where visitors still smoke, have to pay fines. Besides, companies, which advertise tobacco goods and sell cigarettes for reduced prices, will also have to pay fines.
As Reuters reports, smoking ban is applied not only to cigarettes, but to pipe and hookah smoking. The ban will be out into force after four months after the moment of signing by the president of Turkey Abdullah Gul. After that, the period of transition will last 18 months. It should be mentioned that since the first of January 2008 smoking ban in bars and restaurants was put into force in Germany and France. The first EU country, where cigarette smoking was banned became Ireland, then smoking ban was introduced in Norway, Italy, Spain and Great Britain.
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