FinishMySong Blog

Midnight last night marked the moment when the people of France officially turned their back on the beloved cigarette.

As of today, as reported in Le Monde, smoking is banned in public places across France, including places of work, colleges, commercial centres, airports, hospitals, stations and sports facilities. However, the 'fumeur interdit' signs will largely remain undisplayed in bars and cafes, where proprietors have a further 11 months before they will be forced by the authorities to ban smoking on their premises.

The surprising thing about all this, though, is how well the French seem to be dealing with the heavy handed tactics of a government that has decide enough is enough on this issue, thanks to escalating public health costs due to smoking related diseases such as cancer of the lung: despite smoking in cafes over a coffee or beer being viewed very much as a legitimate pastime, 70% of French people agree with the ban - quite astonishing considering their usual belief in liberté for all to do as they desire.

I've personally got mixed feelings on this issue - I agree that it is not fair that non-smokers should be forced to passively smoke when they enter bars and restaurants. However, there are alternatives to an out and out ban on the practise, such as putting together legislation to force premises to be properly ventilated. Or, perhaps, a bar could be licensed as either smoking or non-smoking premises, giving the consumer the choice as to whether they want to visit a place that allows smoking or not. Certainly, the idea of having smoking and non-smoking areas has been tested and found wanting - unless there is a good degree of separation between the sections, including walls and doors, this system simply doesn't work.

Anyway, no doubt we in the UK will be waking up to a similar ban on smoking in the near future so, even as a non-smoker, I will enjoy these last evenings in crowded, smoky pubs: cancer or not, the hanging fumes give a place that certain je ne sais quai.