Sweden Bans Smoking In Restaurants

Sweden Bans Smoking In Restaurants

Much to the annoyance of my partner Eva, who is Swedish, Sweden will introduce a ban on smoking in all bars and restaurants midnight tonight.

A recent poll showed that 85% favour an end to smoking in restaurants, and 77% support a ban in bars and clubs.

As of June 1 Swedish diners will have to go outside to have a smoke, which will be very unpleasant in winter when temperatures drop to -20 degrees.

Establishments will only be allowed to permit smoking indoors if they build a separate, closed-off section with specially-designed ventilation. However, no food or drinks can be consumed in the special area.

This is expected to boost sales of snus. This is Sweden's centuries-old tradition of placing a form of moist snuff placed under the lip. It is used by more than a million Swedes.

Snus comes individually packaged in portion sizes, wrapped in a thin layer of paper which is placed under the lip and sucked on for several hours. A pack of 20 packets is sold in a round, plastic pillbox.

The only problem being, that the EU banned the sale of snus in 1992; citing research that said it causes cancer, but granted an exception to Sweden when it joined the bloc in 1995.

Some Swedish bars and restaurants plan to place "snus-trays", instead of ashtrays, in their establishments.