On 7th December, I reported that the Greeks were revolting. (link temporally unavailable) I don’t mean they stink or that they are ignorant people, in fact, far from it-they are revolting against the smoking ban that their government tried, for the umpteenth time, to enforce.
From my article:-
“This ban is the final blow,” Yiorgos Kavathas, general secretary of the Greek restaurant owners federation, told Reuters. “Cafes and restaurants are shutting down. Our union estimates that at least 20,000 will close.”
Well it seems that the Greek government are people with brains-unlike ours-for they have realised the economic cost to their already impoverished country. Furthermore, they have also realised that they can raise more valuable revenue by issuing ‘smoking licenses’ to premises they deem suitable to host smokers. One thing for sure, there will NOT be a shortage of applications!
It is considered that this small option will raise £50m
It also seems the Dutch government have people with brains within for they have relaxed their ban to save businesses and the ashtrays have returned. The Danes have also rolled back the legislation. Belgium, Germany, France, Bulgaria, Poland etc etc all make provision for smokers. Spain have caused themselves a civil war with their latest implementation, they will soon see the economic effects of smoking bans. S Ireland has already reaped the’ benefit’ of following EU smoke ban diktat – they had to be bailed out financially, even with a higher smoking rate than pre-ban!
Smoking bans cause economic chaos.
Now why can’t the ‘Camercleggerons’ see the light – or are they too deeply in the pocket of Big Pharma?