Another day and another country bends over and takes the EU health regulations concerning smoking in public places :
From today, Poland joins the growing list of countries where smoking is banned in restaurants, clubs, pubs and bars.
Under the new rules, restaurant owners may allocate a separate room for smokers though it must be tightly sealed and well ventilated.
Magdalena Petryniak, one of the leaders of the anti-smoking campaign in Krakow told Polish Radio, however, that due to the expense of having to provide facilities for smokers, few establishments will take up this option, thenews.pl says.
Though smoking has been banned in most offices for some time, the law that went into effect at midnight on November 15 bans smoking in all public spaces, including hospitals, trains, public transportation stops, playgrounds, restaurants, and most controversially, pubs and clubs.
According to the law, a violation results in a 500 złoty fine for each individual caught smoking, as well as a 2,000 złoty fine for the establishment owner if no sign indicating a smoking ban is displayed. In Krakow, according to TVP Info, the city ran out of “no smoking” signs for pubs and clubs, leaving many owners to make their own before today’s deadline, Sofia Echo informs.
Interesting to note that bar and restaurant owners at least had a choice to designate a smoking area although it sounds as if the rules were drafted to preclude any of those on cost grounds.
When we see news releases with any form of medical content of late, it is becoming ever more difficult to understand if we are witnessing honest and useful medical information, respecting our rights of autonomy, or just another drug commercial. As per process; originating with an ad agency focus group, with language tested for the widest emotional appeal. I would consider this article with a great deal of skepticism. If that offends anyone I apologize, this is just where we have arrived, after years of propaganda and fear mongering, a “news report” at a time.
Trying to make someone else compliant with your ideals by promoting hatred, fear, guilt or by enacting targeted extortion by ad agency, has a lot of descriptive names we know, all too well..
Leadership, Mature, Inclusive, Humane, Responsible, Respective or Educated, are not words on that list, nor should they ever be.