Smokers have mixed feelings over ban

SMOKERS’ feelings were yesterday mixed regarding the newly enforced no-smoking ban in all public places, with some claiming the law was ‘racist’.

CyBC spoke to a handful of smokers at the capital’s cafés on New Year’s Day and without exception all sat outside in the smoking zone to enjoy a cup of coffee.

Only one smoker said he was happy about the new ban and that it would also benefit non-smokers. Most of the respondents said the law was unfair and that there should have been designated smoking areas indoors for smokers.

“It’s actually racist,” said one man.

According to eyewitnesses authorities carried out spot checks in popular bars, restaurants, clubs and coffee shops including popular haunts such as New Division, Le Café, Aperetivo, Gloria Jean’s and Maze. No violations were reported although this does not mean there were none as police had said proprietors and smokers would be granted leniency on January 1.

“Checks will start being carried out as of today (yesterday) and people will be reported for breaking the law,” a police spokesman said yesterday.

The spokesman said violators of the law faced up to a €2,000 fine at a judge’s discretion.

People wanting to report violations of the smoking law can contact their nearest police stations or the citizen’s line on 1460.

The Cyprus Mail is the only English-language daily newspaper published in Cyprus. It was established in 1945 and today, with its popular and widely-read website, the Cyprus Mail is among the most trusted news sites in Cyprus. The newspaper is not affiliated with any political parties and has always striven to maintain its independence. Over the past 70-plus years, the Cyprus Mail, with a small dedicated team, has covered momentous events in Cyprus’ modern history, chronicling the last gasps of British colonial rule, Cyprus’ truncated independence, the coup and Turkish invasion, and the decades of negotiations to stitch the divided island back together, plus a myriad of scandals, murders, and human interests stories that capture the island and its -people. Observers describe it as politically conservative.