The Chamber of
\nDeputies in Bucharest has passed the law banning smoking in closed public
\nareas. 164 deputies endorsed the new law, 20 were against it while 26 refrained
\nfrom voting. The Senate had passed the law as early as 2011, but the
\ndecision-making body in this matter was the Chamber of Deputies. The law
\ncompletely bans smoking in all closed public areas, in offices and other
\nworking facilities, in hospitals, clinics and schools, in buses and other
\ntransportation means as well in outdoor and indoor playing grounds. Any
\nviolation of the law is punishable with fines between 20 and 110 euros, while
\ncompanies could be subject to fines of up to 3400 euros, have their activity
\nsuspended or be closed down. <\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Smoking bans in public spaces have been in force
\nin many Western countries for many years now. Although Romanian employers are
\nafraid of losing customers, the experience of other countries has proven that
\npeople have continued to go to pubs and cafes after the law was enforced.
\nFurthermore a smoking ban in clubs will allow for the installation of smoke
\ndetectors, which could prove instrumental with regard to fire prevention. The
\nlaw banning smoking in closed public areas will be submitted to president
\nIohannis for promulgation, then it will be published in the Official Gazette
\nand should come into effect within 45 days, most likely in February next year. <\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Statistically speaking, Romania was in need of such a law, because, as data
\nreleased by the National Institute of Statistics shows, one in five Romanians
\nis into daily smoking. The research indicates that close to 10% of the population
\nsuffers from obesity and half of the Romanians sees the family doctor or the GP
\nat least once a year. Worth noting is that only three out of ten Romanians are
\nin the habit of eating fresh fruit and vegetables on a daily basis and only 9%
\nof those above 6 years are exercising weekly. <\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
More than half of the
\ninterviewees over 16 have admitted to having drunk alcohol in the past year
\nwhile only two in ten Romanians say they don’t drink alcohol at the weekends.
\nOne in four people is suffering from at least a chronic disease or has
\nexperienced long-term health issues. Only 16 in 100 people have gone to the
\ndentist in the past year. According to the National Institute for Statistics,
\n15% of the interviewees have used medicine without having a prescription, particularly
\nfor headaches and cold. The same survey shows that over three quarters of the
\npopulation believe they are in good and in very good health.<\/p>\n
\n
\n
\n
<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
The Romanian Chamber of Deputies has passed the law banning smoking in indoor public spaces.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":107,"featured_media":66539,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[37738],"tags":[29651],"coauthors":[],"class_list":["post-66538","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-today-in-the-news","tag-smoking-ban"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n