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Europe's Anti-Smoking Battle

April 12, 2006

Starting 2006, Spain banned smoking in public places, becoming the latest in a line of EU members to introduce anti-tobacco laws. DW reviews the smoky situation in Europe.

https://p.dw.com/p/6icA
Got a light?Image: AP

Despite Germany's small, carefully measured steps toward the still faraway target of a wholesale ban on public puffing, debate on instituting smoking bans has been much faster in other European countries.

Since Ireland became the first country in Europe to ban smoking in public in 2004, several other countries have been fast to follow suit.

But the problem is still overwhelming. Tobacco-related diseases claim one life every six and a half seconds, and the annual death toll is expected to double to 10 million by 2020, according to the World Health Organization.

Click on the links below to find out more about the debate about smoking in Europe.

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Reports & Analysis

Spanish Face Smoke-free New Year

Spain's legions of smokers were facing a tough New Year on Sunday as strict new laws banning smoking in public places came into force, abruptly reversing the nation's traditional tobacco-friendly attitude.
January 2, 2006

Sweden Bans Smoking

Citing a higher incidence of cancer among restaurant and bar workers than employees in other sectors, Sweden has become the latest EU country to outlaw smoking in pubs and eateries.
June 1, 2005

Smoking Ban Begins in Italy

Italy's 14 million smokers are bracing for a new anti-smoking law which comes into force Monday. It bans them from smoking in public places including bars, restaurants, discotheques and offices.
January 10, 2005

Britain to Impose Sweeping Smoking Ban

The British government has revealed plans to ban smokers from lighting up in public places and workplaces across the country. The announcement triggered a slide in pub group and tobacco shares.
November 17, 2004

EU TV Campaign Makes Fun of Smoking

The European Union is stepping up its anti-smoking campaign with television advertisements aiming to ridicule the habit, its executive arm said on Thursday.
May 27, 2005

Ireland Snuffs Out Smoking in Workplaces

Ireland is the first European country to implement a wide-reaching ban on smoking in public places. Nowhere will the drastic change be most keenly felt than in Ireland's pubs, where pints and cigarettes go hand in hand.
March 29, 2004

Banning Smoke at Work in Europe

The European Commission's "Week Against Cancer" begins Monday, the motto is "finally a smoke-free workplace." While the latter is already a reality in some EU countries, many Europeans still work in smoky environs.
October 10, 2005