Prohibiting smoking in public places

Numerous countries including Australia, New Zealand, Norway and Sweden have laws prohibiting smoking in the work place. The USA has a wide array of smoking bans in public places and options for future action include a smoking prohibition in all areas outside of one's home and car. Some private companies offer incentives to non-smoking employees -- a computer manufacturer gives six extra days of annual leave to non-smokers in the factory of its subsidiary in Germany.

In 1996 a city ordinance in Houston, Texas, banned all smoking anywhere in the city's public parks, with violators subject to a fine up to $500. The ordinance supports the right of nonsmokers not to be exposed to cigarette smoke, odor or detritus. This marks a trend of smoking bands in public places increasingly appearing around the United States.

In 1989, the European Union Council of Ministers adopted a resolution which banned smoking in public places.

In 1995, Finland introduced a complete ban on smoking at work, except in the case of restaurant staff and people working alone. Smoking is allowed only in reserved areas, on condition that the smoke does not spread to non-smoking areas. From July 2001 the area reserved for smokers in restaurants cannot be more than half of the total area. In France, offices and workshops have to be laid out in such a way that non-smokers are not inconvenienced by smokers. One of 10 French companies operates a total ban on smoking. In Denmark, the law on non-smoking areas affects the public sector only. Luxembourg has added hospitals in general and homes for the elderly to it. There is no law in the UK covering smoking at the workplace.