smoking ban

[yalimart]

just got this in the bodrum bulletin, i had almost forgotten it was coming, cant wait




Further to the initial ban introduced on May 19, 2009, (which banned smoking in workplaces and malls, and on public transportation; including taxis), an extended ban comes into effect on the 19th July, 2009.

Smoking will no longer be permitted in indoor sections of cafes, bars, and restaurants across Turkey. Smokers who light up in those places, will face spot fines of 50TL, while business owners may be fined up to 5,000TL.

To help monitor the ban, a free help-line has been set up which the government encourages you to use. Simply dial 184 to notify authorities about somewhere not complying with the smoking ban.

martin (ex smoker)

 

[Peregrine]

Istanbul airport was surprisingly smoke free when we last went through - a pleasant change

good to see Turkey continues to modernise its thinking

 

[tomc1984]

Good idea, makes you feel at home!

 

[Valian]

I have had the date on my calendar for ages now. I wonder who the 184 line goes through to? It's the local council who need a hotline number so that non compliance can be reported direct to them and they can send out the Zabita to check.

Mind you, most bars restaurants are 'al fresco' at the moment, so smokers will still be able to keep on puffing at their tables until the colder weather is upon us, when everyone goes back inside. That should be interesting.

 

[yalimart]

heres hoping that the ban has a similar effect in Turkey as it has in europe where I believe that there has been a nearly 20% reduction in smokers. It saddens me to see young people smoking ! it is so uncool !

martin

 

[Terry the Celt]

heres hoping that the ban has a similar effect in Turkey as it has in europe where I believe that there has been a nearly 20% reduction in smokers. It saddens me to see young people smoking ! it is so uncool !

martin

Definitely agree!!
Its the young teenagers who smoke that saddens me too!!
I have actually seen kids so desperate for a smoke they pick up old butts from an ashtray and relight them.
As you say they think its cool but you only have to look at the sallow complexion, lank lifeless hair, discoloured teeth and smelly clothes and breath to wonder why they think that.
I dont care what smokers say but you can tell which one smokes in a gang of non smokers just by being near them. Its so obvious but they dont realise it and the addiction blots out all reason totally.
I hope it is enforced in Turkey because the country certainly needs to be shocked out of the habit which is almost an epidemic throughout its society.

 

[Bubskar]

I read in the Land of Lights (Fethiye) yesterday that we are having Smoking Police here. They will be out and about on Fridays??? So I guess that on Thursdays ashtrays everywhere will be assigned to a cupboard somewhere until Saturdays:gulme:

 

[ceemac]

A recent poll suggested that 90% of the population sampled were in favour of the ban, but as in the UK/Ireland, there are huge concerns in the hospitality sector.

There are no exceptions, even for the hookah cafe's - from Sunday on, 1,571 teams will enforce the smoking ban. Anyone caught smoking where it’s not allowed will get a 69 lira fine (30 euros), and for managers who allow their customers to smoke the fine can go as high as 5,600 lira (2,600 euros) for repeat violations.

Although costly for the thousands of small tea houses around Turkey, the smoking ban is expected to be hardest to enforce in tea houses in the country-side, where the majority of customers smoke.

C

 

[Dancing Queen]

We have friends in Greece where a similar ban has just come into operation.However the greek government has taken what you might call a "more pragmatic" approach.The ban is in operation unless the bar/taverna owners wishes to apply for a special license which will allow smoking on the premises.Ths cost of the license is several thousand euros!!!You can obviously do whatever you like if you are prepared to pay the greek government for it.

 

[ceemac]

We have friends in Greece where a similar ban has just come into operation.However the greek government has taken what you might call a "more pragmatic" approach.The ban is in operation unless the bar/taverna owners wishes to apply for a special license which will allow smoking on the premises.Ths cost of the license is several thousand euros!!!You can obviously do whatever you like if you are prepared to pay the greek government for it.

I'm not certain but I would imagine that is contrary to EU Legislation for member states - it may however be referring to a part outside the premises where you can light up.

C

 

[pldouglas]

i recently gave up a 40 a day 35 year old habit - it was the drugs that did it, not my will power!
Yesterday my brother took me for lunch in a fabulous old pub on the edge of Romney Marsh, we sat in the garden and looked out over fields of corn to eat our gorgous smoked trout salads, - and afterwards he lit a fag! I nearly lept upon him I was so desperate for one!
So, much as I do think that a smoking ban in an infridgement of civil liberty and an insult to our inteligence - it does help one to stop if there is less smoke in the air!

 

[Terry the Celt]

i recently gave up a 40 a day 35 year old habit - it was the drugs that did it, not my will power!
Yesterday my brother took me for lunch in a fabulous old pub on the edge of Romney Marsh, we sat in the garden and looked out over fields of corn to eat our gorgous smoked trout salads, - and afterwards he lit a fag! I nearly lept upon him I was so desperate for one!
So, much as I do think that a smoking ban in an infridgement of civil liberty and an insult to our inteligence - it does help one to stop if there is less smoke in the air!

Hi Stella
You mentioned the ban being an insult to our intelligence!!
I think Bob once said, and I agree with him, that if people havent the intelligence to realise what smoking is doing to them and their health, it needs legislation to force it upon them.
I dont think inhaling carcinogenic substances and developing an addiction all in the name of enjoyment shows any intelligence at all LOL!!
Watching 2 young ladies on Big Brother (no intelligence me either!!) scraping around on an ash tray looking for old butts from other peoples mouths to relight just for a nicotine fix proved that to me!! YUK!

Congratulations on giving it the big heave ho!! 40 a day must have cost you a small fortune over 35 years and you could be a millionairess with 3 camper vans by now haha!
Hope the seaside is still great down there and you are looking forward to the return of DB

 

[KEN MOFFETT]

Yes sunday is the day!as a non smoker not bothered one way or the other but no smoking means just that,we are lucky that when the coolder weather comes around,and we move back to the downstairs bar we have a fully covered terrace so at least if you smoke you wont get wet! but it will be a hard slog getting people to stop and it is not just the turks its everyone,only know of a handfull who dont smoke.Jim.

 

[Terry the Celt]

Hi Ken
as a bar owner it must be difficult for you in a place like Turkey where so many smoke but I do admire the way you are taking it seriously thank you.
There are also thousands of non smokers who will frequent bars like yours that do take it seriously and ignore others.
If I am ever in your area with my family I would visit you in preference to one flouting the rules!!
Whilst Turkey has a majority of smokers, in other countries like the UK, it is fast declining from being the national sport of the 50,s when people knew no better and even filters were mamby pamby!!
I wish you well with your business Ken.

 

[ihutch]

Okay I don't smoke but I do understand that some people enjoy and want to, so I think they should have somewhere to do so and non-smokers do not have to go anywhere near them. As for the EU rules and regs - I certainly hope that Turkey Never, Ever joins as it will be the end of their culture as they know it and the start of the big rot called 'Control'. In a lot of European countries there are so many laws and rules that one can't do anything incase it is illegal because it may harm, couldbe dangerous etc. etc. So ban it, or put a tax on it as long as you control it and everyone. Please Turkey do not go down that road. Europe needs you more than you will ever need it!

 

[ceemac]

According to the National Cigarette and Health Committee (SSUK), a Turkish organisation, there are 22 million smokers in Turkey, and 50 million non-smokers, 10 million of whom suffer from lung and cardiovascular disease.

Also, whilst Turkey generates some $20 billion annually from tourism, it spends the same amount on smoking!

Experts believe that Turkey will implement the ban successfully however, as people understand the damage that is being caused.


C

 

[pldouglas]

Hi Stella
You mentioned the ban being an insult to our intelligence!!
I think Bob once said, and I agree with him, that if people havent the intelligence to realise what smoking is doing to them and their health, it needs legislation to force it upon them.
I dont think inhaling carcinogenic substances and developing an addiction all in the name of enjoyment shows any intelligence at all LOL!!
Watching 2 young ladies on Big Brother (no intelligence me either!!) scraping around on an ash tray looking for old butts from other peoples mouths to relight just for a nicotine fix proved that to me!! YUK!

Congratulations on giving it the big heave ho!! 40 a day must have cost you a small fortune over 35 years and you could be a millionairess with 3 camper vans by now haha!
Hope the seaside is still great down there and you are looking forward to the return of DB

I'm sure this has been debated many times before and that I am about to add 'boring' to my list of inadequacies.
However, my point is, that it was my choice to smoke all those years. I fully understood the damage it was causing to my lungs etc, but it was my decision to continue. I still don't think I risked any more by smoking than by hurtling around on fast motorbikes, smoking more than just tobacco, drinking several pints of bitter every night and generally burning the candle at both ends. However I was not ill-mannered enough to smoke in the home of non-smokers and in the unlikely event of being near small people I also refrained from lighting up. I think I was a responsible smoker to all but myself. Yes I know the argument about what it cost the NHS, but what about all those obese people who eat rotten meat fast food and get heart attacks - as a small sized vegetarian I don't moan about them.
No amount of government led campaigns made me want to stop, in fact the opposite. It was the very fact of a smoking ban i.e. Thou Shalt Not...' that made me continue smoking for longer than I really wanted to. Then one day I saw an old guy coughing his bits up and it simply made me want to give up myself.
I have recently had to attend the Physiotherapy Dept at the local hospital where they informed me that if I wasn't so fit and with such good muscle tone at 50 years, then my injured shoulder would be giving me quite serious problems following an accident 6 years ago.
Its each to thier own. I loathe the smell of barbeques (as some hate ciggarette smoke and cannot for the life of me work out why anyone would want to light a fire in the garden to cook dead animals on - but its the consumers decision what they choose to put in thier stomach and I never say a word - I just try to sit down-wind!

 

[Terry the Celt]

And never the twain shall meet!!
Fair comment and my attack deserved a strong riposte !!
I wouldnt put barbecue smoke in the same league as cigarette smoke but there you go!!
I am sure there are indeed quite a few fit smokers around like yourself but I think the overall population comparison between smokers and non smokers would tell a different story
Now we are both boring Lol

As State control in any form has never bothered me,I am infinitely more boring than you!!
Just because people tell you not to risk your health, continuing out of sheer bloodymindedness I cant get my head around at all!!
People in hospitals get told to stop smoking due to lung cancer or similar and they say "Sod off why should I?" and I think "where is the logic in that?" dddddddddhhhhhhhhhhh.
Each to their own I guess.

All the best to you both
I did apologise via PM for posting rather strongly on this thread.

 

[yalimart]

Hi Pld I like you believed it was my choice and right to smoke, and I like you only gave up because of the drugs available, but I now realise that "my choice" was driven by addiction. I understand why people smoke but dont believe its through choice ! nicotine is said to be more addictive than heroin but not sure about that !

anyway good luck with the abstinence

martin

 

[pldouglas]

Sure its an addiction like many others. I have a friend who is absoloutly addicted to chocolate, not sweets as such, just chocolate. As a result she is overweight at a time in her life when it gets harder to shift, which as we all know is not good for the heart. I knew another woman who downed about 20 cups of strong coffee every day, and if she didn't get her caffine she got the shakes, okay it probably won't kill her but its still addiction and there are plenty more without even mentioning alcohol.
But it is thier choice to continue to eat/drink these things, no third party is forcing it down them.
Right, if I can't have a fag then I'm going to have 3 chocolate biscuits and a half pint mug of coffee - maybe 4 biscuits.......