Austria has one of the highest rates of smoking and youth smoking among high income countries, and that might not be changing anytime soon:
Many Western countries have banned smoking in bars and restaurants, but Austria is bucking that trend. Under a law passed in 2015, Austria was due to bring in a total ban this May, but now its new government of the conservatives and the far-right Freedom Party have scrapped the plans.
The move was spearheaded by the leader of the Freedom Party, Austria's Vice Chancellor Heinz-Christian Strache, himself a smoker, who told parliament last month that it was about freedom of choice. He said restaurants should be free to decide if they want to have smoking sections, where "a citizen has the possibility to decide perhaps to enjoy a cigarette or a pipe or a cigar with their coffee".
The move has horrified Austria's medical establishment. Dr Manfred Neuberger, professor emeritus at the Medical University of Vienna, says it is "a public health disaster".
"The decision is irresponsible. It was a victory for the tobacco industry. The new government made Austria into the ashtray of Europe."
Meanwhile, the country is considering buying more jet fighters, recruiting more police, defunding its public broadcaster, and examining its past.
(Score: 2, Insightful) by kryptonianjorel on Friday February 16 2018, @08:19AM (2 children)
Or, you'd frequent the restaurants that do not allow smoking more often, and they'd profit, whereas the restaurants that do allow smoking, will be frequented more by those who do smoke. I don't see how this is a problem for anybody. But outright banning of smoking hurts smokers
(Score: 1, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Friday February 16 2018, @11:18AM
Smoking hurts smokers. Anything else is just adding insult to injury. Fairly well deserved insults, considering how well known the negative affects of smoking are.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday February 17 2018, @02:05AM
Don't forget kids, the cigarette does the smoking. You're just the sucker.