Will Greek Citizens Listen to the new Smoking Ban this time?

In a case of political déjà vu, the country is once again taking legal action to stop its tobacco troubles.

Last July, Greece's leaders had enough. The government clamped down on smoking, implementing a partial ban that levied 500-euro fines on convicted offenders. Bars and restaurants failing to comply risked having their licenses revoked.

The only problem was, few were willing to listen. Smokers regularly found loopholes, resorting as far as moving cabs to grab an afternoon light.

"There were problems in the implementation of the law, there were grey areas and contradictions," Health Minister Marilisa Xenogiannakopoulou told Reuters.

Starting on Wednesday, those grey areas are turning to red zones. The AP reports that all indoor common spaces are included in the new law, which will slap fines of 50 to 500 euros ($65-$650) against individual offenders. Businesses ignoring cigarette butts face stiffer fees in the range of 500 to 10,000 euros ($650-$12,750).

The decision is penetrating public spaces for both fiscal and health reasons. Recent polls show that Greece is the most nicotine-needy nation in all of Europe, with 40 percent of the population turning to a daily puff.

Light Cigarettes and Nicotine Addiction

A federal judge on Wednesday unsealed a government proposal that outlines what it wants tobacco companies to say in national advertising and on cigarette packages — that they lied to the American public about so-called light cigarettes and the addictiveness of nicotine.

Judge Gladys Kessler of the United States District Court in Washington denied a request by the tobacco companies that the recommendations, by the Justice Department, be kept secret until they submitted a response.

The so-called corrective statements were ordered as part of a civil racketeering judgment in 2006 in which Judge Kessler ruled against the tobacco companies, saying they had lied for 50 years. The statements are to appear in newspaper and magazine advertising and in attachments to cigarette packages.

Judge Kessler is also deciding how the advertisements should be displayed at retail outlets. She is expected to set a schedule Thursday for the response from the companies and her decision.

The Justice Department’s proposed statements are blunt, and are being met with stiff resistance from the tobacco companies.

One would have the tobacco companies buy ads saying in part: “We falsely marketed low tar and light cigarettes as less harmful than regular cigarettes to keep people smoking and sustain our profits. We knew that many smokers switch to low tar and light cigarettes rather than quitting because they believe low tar and lights are less harmful. They are NOT.”

Another would say in part: “We told Congress under oath that we believed nicotine is not addictive. We told you that smoking is not an addiction and all it takes to quit is willpower. Here’s the truth: Smoking is very addictive. And it’s not easy to quit. We manipulated cigarettes to make them more addictive.”

Philip Morris USA, the largest United States tobacco company, said on Wednesday that the government’s proposals “go beyond factual and scientific information.” The company, which makes Marlboro cigarettes and is owned by the Altria Group, signaled it would appeal to higher courts if necessary.

“The Department of Justice proposal would compel the companies to admit wrongdoing under threat of contempt,” Murray Garnick, Altria associate general counsel, said in a statement. “Such a proposal is unprecedented in our legal system and would violate basic constitutional and statutory standards.”

The tobacco companies will be proposing their own versions for the judge to consider.

For smoking on balcony Finns will be penalized 1000 EURO

People who like to smoke on the balcony will have to pay a lot for their liking. Helsinki authorities intend to make people pay penalty in amount of 1000 euro for those who stay on their loggia with cigarettes in hands, spoiling the air in the houses. New rules that from now on will hang in every block of flats became part of struggle of Finnish authorities with smoking. Recently, they have declared about decision to obtain that quantity of smokers in country would steadily decrease and country would enter 2040 absolutely non-smoking. The main is, according to Ministry of Health, not to allow appearance of new smokers, for this is necessary to reduce interest to tobacco products, make them less attractive, and educate population. Today already Finland is considered one of the most "non-smoking" countries in the world. Smoking in Suomi is prohibited in public places, restaurants and bars don't have rooms for smokers but those visitors that want to smoke cigarettes during the dinner have to leave table for it and go to special smoking rooms. Smoking during business negotiations is prohibited - however smoking rooms exist in large business-centers and office buildings, it is unlikely that someone will consider inviting partner to continue the dialogue in small smoke-filled room. And now Finnish smokers were not able to hold last bastion - right to smoke in their on house. Soon in Finland will com into force one more law that will prohibit smoking in personal car if you carry children inside - even in spite of the fact that the same children, coming home can as long ad they wish enjoy their smoking parents. Smoking is prohibited in theaters, public transport, public health and educational institutions. Also tobacco products advertisement is prohibited and their sale to persons that are younger than 18 years. These measures give their result: beginning with 1980 quantity of smokers in country always is decreasing and at present moment every day smoke just 26 per cents of Finnish man and 19 per cents of women, - states victoriously Finnish Ministry of Public Health statistics.

Cinema, smoking in films

Through most of the 20th Century, movies with characters puffing away on cigarettes helped make smoking a popular, and in some circles, necessary status symbol. In the 1940s’ and 1950s’, Humphrey Bogart, Bette Davis, and scores of other established Hollywood stars always had a smoke in hand at some point in their films. Decades later, James Bond and Superman’s girl friend, Lois Lane, puffed away in front of audiences filled with many an impressionable teenager.

Not surprisingly, moviegoers of all ages tended to associate cigarette smoking with Glamour, vigorous youth, sexiness, wealth, and occasionally rebelliousness.

As the major adverse health effects of tobacco have become widely publicized over the past 30 years, smoking has declined both on and off the screen in the United States. Nevertheless, 43 million Americans (many of them youngsters) remain addicted to the evil weed and 450,000 a year die prematurely from it. Despite efforts to diminish the presence and discredit the allure of smoking in films, 54 percent of movies with parental guidance ratings still have smoking in their narratives.

As long as smoking is legal, it is unconstitutional to ban the practice from appearing on the silver screen. Nonetheless, films containing smoking can still be rated “R”, be preceded by anti-smoking messages, and be prohibited from displaying actual brands and receiving compensation for such actions. Many jurisdictions have adopted these measures, again with middling results in regard to discouraging smoking.