In your country, in your culture, is smoking regulated? If this is the case, do you think that this regulation is justified? Too strict? Not strict enough? Is it customary to smoke in the street, in public transport, at the office, in hospitals, restaurants and in hotels at breakfast? Are there a lot of places that sell cigarettes, cigars, tobacco? In several countries in the European Union, like in France in 2007, but also in Switzerland and Canada, smoking is prohibited in public places like on public transport, except for specific areas reserved for smokers. Smoking is banned in all enclosed and covered areas open to the public or serving as a workplace: offices, entryways of hospitals, clubs, casinos, underground car parks. Smoking is still allowed on café or restaurant patios or in smoke rooms that have a ventilation system.
In France, increasing numbers of people are using electronic cigarettes, which are allowed in covered areas. At the end of 2012, according to the estimates of manufacturers, about 500,000 people were regularly using electronic cigarettes and about a million people have tried it. (1)
France has about 16 million smokers. A third of the people between the ages of 15 and 85 (32%) smoke occasionally, 36% men and 28% women. Between the ages of 18 and 34, about 1 out of 2 people smoke. (1)
In Vancouver, Canada, smoking on patios is prohibited and must be done at least 6 metres from the entrance of the building. This ban resulted in seeing many more people smoking in the street than ever before.
(1) According to
fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cigarette_électronique and http://www.tabac-info-service.fr/Vos-questions-Nos-reponses/Chiffres-du-tabac, accessed in December 2013.
