Greece Smoking Ban

In Volos, Greece, it's been raining fines for anti-smoking law violations over the last few days Joint "Inspection Units" formed of employees from the Public Health Department and local law enforcement have been combing the city to determine whether anti-smoking regulation is being adhered to in all applicable spaces So far fines amounting to over 4000 Euros have been issued to both local food and entertainment businesses as well as private citizens who have been illegally smoking in such areas designated as non smoking by relevant law "Fines are not the issue. The issue is that we all need to understand that something has changed and we, as the Public Health Department, are bound by ethics, common sense and law to enforce these regulations Within 20 days we all need to come to terms with these changes and all of us need to adhere to the legal reality of the situation because if we do not comply, we will, all of us, keep paying the price for the consequences which extend far beyond the monetary fines" "Not only will we join this effort, but we will facilitate strict enforcement we owe it to second hand smokers, to help them stop being ones in general we do not support fining as a compliance measure, so we do hope everyone will make every possible effort to abide" Since yesterday extensive inspections have started being carried out at public services like the court and the county council where a joint inspecting body of police and public health officers verified the honouring of regulations despite ash bins with signs of recent use, still decorating the halls of these buildings in some cases placed directly under "No Smoking" signs "First of all, the help provided to us by the police department is crucial for the success of this effort secondly, there seems to also be a congruent political climate at the moment too and thirdly and most importantly, the public's mentality has finally changed and this is something I'd like to emphasise as it affects all of us, smokers, non smokers, business owners and chief officers of public service departments the inspections that started yesterday will continue until the issue has been fully addressed