A ban on smoking in all enclosed public places including bars and offices came into force in Italy. There has been resistance not only by smokers, but also by owners of many bars and restaurants. This report from David Willey:
The health minister Girolamo Sirchia gave a last-minute stay of execution over the Christmas and New Year holidays, but he insisted that the smoking ban must go ahead. His aim to protect not just smokers from the danger of lung cancer, but the whole population against the effects of passive smoking. Fifteen million Italians are regular smokers yet opinion polls suggest most people support the ban.
Controversy has arisen over policing the new anti-smoking law. Bar and restaurant owners face hefty fines of up to nearly three thousand dollars if any of their clients light up. Many say they will refuse to call the police to deal with transgressors who also face a three hundred and fifty dollar fine. But some landlords are already offering smokers alternative space in the open air.
The biggest revolution will be inside the Italian parliament. The speaker of the lower house insists that smoke-filled committee rooms will be a thing of the past, but more than one minister has threatened to continue to puff away at cabinet meetings.
David Willey, BBC News, Rome
stay of execution
aplazó la entrada en vigencia (en este caso)
passive smoking
fumar de forma pasiva
policing
la forma de controlar
hefty fines
multas costosas
light up
enciende (un cigarrillo)
transgressors
trasgresores
landlords
dueños
speakers
En este caso, la persona a cargo de la sesión parlamentaria
threatened
amenzó
puff away
fumando
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