Cafes ignoring smoking ban

BARS and restaurants are continuing to flout the ban on smoking in public places, an anti-smoking group has claimed.

Droit des Non-Fumeurs has submitted a report to the Health Ministry to coincide with the third anniversary of the ban.

It says about 45,000 illegal covered terrasses have been built by cafés this year and it has begun legal action against 10 of them for allowing smoking in an enclosed area.

The group says there is a lack of spot-checks and sanctions against places ignoring the ban, which is encouraging an increasing number of people to break the rules.

According to the report, 21% of bar and restaurant workers have complained about the effects of passive smoking, up from 9% shortly after the ban came in to force in 2008.

The association has also criticised the tobacco industry for developing new products to get around the ban, such as the electronic cigarette - which produces no smoke.