THE BAN on smoking inside public spaces came under renewed attack by pro-smoking MPs yesterday, who maintain that the law violates human rights.
DISY Deputy Andreas Themistocleous has so far enlisted six MPs from different parties in a bid to repeal the “harmful” law, which he says “goes against our culture and our human rights.”
Themistocleous told the Cyprus Mail yesterday, “This law does not just attack the tourist trade and bar and restaurant owners: it attacks all Cypriots. We hope to change the law by April and in any case before July.”
The pro-smoking group, which includes Phitos Constantinou (DIKO), Zacharias Koulias (DIKO), Andreas Kyprianou (DISY), Socratis Hasikos (DISY), Soteris Sampson (DISY) and Ritos Erotocritou (European Party), intends to raise the matter in the House Health Committee in the coming weeks.
“After a reasoned discussion,” Themistocleous added, “we will present it in parliament.”
Asked about health risks of passive smoking, he sought to play down the scientific studies conducted jointly by the Harvard and Cyprus University.
“Everybody has their opinion. If you say smoking is bad, what do you say about alcohol? This is a bigger problem.”
On the frontline in the anti-smoking camp is Greens deputy George Perdikis. He issued a statement yesterday saying, “Some people are trying to lift the ban and have been meeting with political party leaders.
“We want to send a message that this is unacceptable, and mobilise people to say ‘No’ to a change in the law.”
He added “If we keep silent then (the smokers lobby) will continue to meet with leaders.”
According to Perdikis, the law is currently enjoying the support of most politicians and members of the public but has become unpopular with bar, restaurant and hotel owners who claim to have lost revenue.
In a survey of bar owners last month, some estimated that their revenue had dropped by up to 40 per cent. Yesterday, however, one owner of a popular Nicosia bar said that the worst affected have reported 60 per cent losses.
The same owner started a petition against the smoking ban, but after receiving 600 signatures of customers and fellow bar owners in three days, was forced to suspend it until he had time to input the names.
At the centre of the debate are three issues: the impact on health of non-smokers, the financial cost and personal freedoms.
The health benefits of the law are supported by other European examples. In Britain a University College London report estimates that 400,000 people quit smoking within one year of the ban, saving an estimated 4,000 lives over the next ten years.
As for the economic impact, a Harvard/Cyprus International Institute for the Environment and Public Health project estimated that smoking cost the Cypriot taxpayer €221 million in 2006. If a ban is maintained, then the healthcare savings would likely outweigh the cost to bartenders.
Whether health and wealth are enough to dissuade the government from following in Greece and Croatia’s footsteps, where the ban has been lifted in some areas, remains to be seen.
