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Smoking is back on the political agenda, as MPs back total cafe ban

Sunday 27 January 2013

Smoking is back on the political agenda in the Netherlands, now opposition party ChristenUnie plans to make a new effort to have smoking banned in all cafes and bars.

The Netherlands banned smoking in cafes, bars and clubs in 2008, but since then small bars have been made exempt from the rules. And according to health ministry research, the ban is widely flouted, with smoking accepted in 43% of the country’s bars and 39% of discos.

Now ChristenUnie plans to try to have the blanket ban re-imposed, the Telegraaf reported on Saturday. ‘Turning a blind eye to smoking in small cafes has had an enormous snowball effect,’ ChristenUnie MP Carla Dik-Faber told the paper.

Majority

The paper says a slim majority of MPs support a total ban on smoking. The ruling VVD, Socialists, anti-Islam PVV and 50Plus oppose the move. Parliament is to discuss official policy on smoking at the end of February.

The exception for bars smaller than 70 square metres and with no employees was introduced following a high court ruling.

It said the smoking ban was introduced to protect staff, and therefore does not apply to cafes which have no employees. In addition, small bars do not have the space to set up special smoking areas, the court ruled.

Photographs

On Friday it emerged the cabinet supports European plans to make tobacco companies place photographs aimed at scaring off smokers on all packets of cigarettes and tobacco.

However, VVD MP Arno Rutte told television current affairs show Nieuwsuur on Saturday that Dutch policy on smoking is nothing to do with Brussels.

‘Will we soon be putting photos of fat people on packets of butter or drunks on a bottle of wine?,’ he said. The proposal will cost the Netherlands money and jobs, he said.

The Dutch coalition government has agreed to put up the age at which youngsters can buy cigarettes from 16 to 18, partly at the instigation of cigarette companies themselves.

It sucks!

Marco wrote:It sucks!

You've missed the point. they want you to stop sucking and start breathing .

ChristenUnie are a fringe party and I doubt if Amsterdam is their natural base anyway.

youngian wrote:ChristenUnie are a fringe party and I doubt if Amsterdam is their natural base anyway.

yeah but they can do plenty of damage non the less....
remember the weed pass?

Great news tobacco is disgusting... Hopefully the coffeeshops will follow and you guys across the pond will be able to actually taste the weed in your joints.

Blanket ban in UK. This is coming to the NL in my opinion.

How long before we see non smoking coffee shops with vapes on every table?

Thanks for this worldcitizen1723...
Something that I found puzzling is this... "...and therefore does not apply to cafes which have no employees."
I suppose they mean FEBO cafes?
Most likely means owner/operator... a lot of work running a cafe alone.
I began researching Dutch government websites looking for their definition of a cafe, but then I got high...

I've been smoking cigarettes for nearly 40 years ...and I support the ban of tobacco use in enclosed public areas (designated smoking areas notwithstanding). Non smokers, and smokers as well (me), shouldn't be put into a position of having to constantly choose where they can congregate (eat, drink, socialize, sleep (hotel)) without having to breath the byproducts of burning tobacco. For those who've stayed in a hotel room (smoking permitted) with fixed windows (didn't open), how was it for you? For me, it was what I imagine sleeping in an ashtray would be like. Nasty...
Food, clothing, hair, skin, our children's lungs (not forgetting our own)..., basically everything is tainted by the toxicity from burning tobacco.
A ban is a no brainer, my question - what is taking them so long to "strictly" enforce the laws?

Here's some brain food for the masses - those who oppose the ban, most likely do so out of greed, selfishness, stupidity, or a combination of the three.
Bring it, beotches...
...

With sincere apologies to Martin Niemöller:

First they came for the mushrooms,
and I didn't speak out because I don't trip.

Then they came for the drinkers,
and I didn't speak out because I don't drink.

Then they came for the cigarette smokers,
and I didn't speak out because I don't smoke.

Then they came for the weed smokers,
and there was no one left to speak for me.

This is a health issue Marco. If it's about rights and freedom then I side with the rights of people not to be subject to tobacco smoke. Tobacco kills.

Old Fart wrote:This is a health issue Marco. If it's about rights and freedom then I side with the rights of people not to be subject to tobacco smoke. Tobacco kills.

No, it is a rights issue. If you cannot see the connection between something you like (weed) and something you don't (tobacco), I am sorry. Do you REALLY think (in the long term) they are going to let weed smoking continue in public places, if they forbid tobacco? It is illogical.

The argument for allowing weed smoking at cofeeshops and NES is this: No one has to choose to visit a CS or work there. The same goes for people working there, no one has to work at a CS who does not want exposure to cannabis smoke. So, why can't this apply to tobacco. Amsterdam now has places without smoking (vast majority) and places with smoking. And yes, there are health problems tied to weed smoke.

People revere Amsterdam for it's freedom. Well, the freedom to have some places available for smokers is great, and it contributes to the vibrant nightlife here.

Marco wrote:

Old Fart wrote:This is a health issue Marco. If it's about rights and freedom then I side with the rights of people not to be subject to tobacco smoke. Tobacco kills.

No, it is a rights issue. If you cannot see the connection between something you like (weed) and something you don't (tobacco), I am sorry. Do you REALLY think (in the long term) they are going to let weed smoking continue in public places, if they forbid tobacco? It is illogical.

The argument for allowing weed smoking at cofeeshops and NES is this: No one has to choose to visit a CS or work there. The same goes for people working there, no one has to work at a CS who does not want exposure to cannabis smoke. So, why can't this apply to tobacco. Amsterdam now has places without smoking (vast majority) and places with smoking. And yes, there are health problems tied to weed smoke.

People revere Amsterdam for it's freedom. Well, the freedom to have some places available for smokers is great, and it contributes to the vibrant nightlife here.

Well said Marco.
I see it the same way. As an ex tobacco smoker, I do enjoy smoke free restaurants. BUT I would prefer that restaurants and bars could make their own choices and not be controlled by a heavy handed government mandate.

worldcitizen1723 wrote:

Marco wrote:

Old Fart wrote:This is a health issue Marco. If it's about rights and freedom then I side with the rights of people not to be subject to tobacco smoke. Tobacco kills.

No, it is a rights issue. If you cannot see the connection between something you like (weed) and something you don't (tobacco), I am sorry. Do you REALLY think (in the long term) they are going to let weed smoking continue in public places, if they forbid tobacco? It is illogical.

The argument for allowing weed smoking at cofeeshops and NES is this: No one has to choose to visit a CS or work there. The same goes for people working there, no one has to work at a CS who does not want exposure to cannabis smoke. So, why can't this apply to tobacco. Amsterdam now has places without smoking (vast majority) and places with smoking. And yes, there are health problems tied to weed smoke.

People revere Amsterdam for it's freedom. Well, the freedom to have some places available for smokers is great, and it contributes to the vibrant nightlife here.

Well said Marco.
I see it the same way. As an ex tobacco smoker, I do enjoy smoke free restaurants. BUT I would prefer that restaurants and bars could make their own choices and not be controlled by a heavy handed government mandate.

FYI, I maybe smoke a few cigarettes per month, so I am not a smoker either. But I can tell you, the places that allow smoking are much more fun than those who don't!

I believe it.

Sure, cigarettes kill. But so does sugar.
Humans die, that's the guarantee.

So allow us to choose our poisons : >

Fine but you don't get to pick the poison for the people sitting next to you do you? This is no different than required removal of asbestosis from a building. It's done for the good of society as a whole