The daily newspaper “La Stampa” published leaked details of a draft smoking law on which Schillaci is allegedly working. The smoking ban should be extended to the space in front of bars and outdoor restaurants. Smoking should only be allowed there in separate areas. In the bars, the separate smoking rooms should disappear completely.
The smoking lounges in Italy’s airports are also to be abolished according to Schillaci’s plan. There should also be a complete ban on smoking at public transport stops and in parks when pregnant women and children are present. The new rules should also apply to e-cigarettes. archyde news for these and other nicotine-containing products should be banned. According to Schillaci, the law wants to take into account the increasing distribution of such products.
Amendment of the 20-year-old law
“Smoking is not only held responsible for lung cancer, but is also the main risk factor for respiratory and cardiovascular diseases,” said the health minister. He wanted to avoid that “the diverse interests in connection with tobacco products are placed above health protection”.
Schillaci wants to amend the smoking law, which has been in force for 20 years and is considered a success in the fight once morest nicotine addiction. Smoking has been forbidden by law in Italy since 2003 in all public buildings, offices, bars, restaurants, discotheques and hotels unless there are fully separate smoking rooms and a functioning ventilation system.
The transitional period lasted until 2005, since then there has been a strict smoking ban. Anyone who still reaches for a cigarette in public areas must expect fines of at least 27 euros. If you smoke in front of children or pregnant women, you face a fine of up to 600 euros. However, the consumption of electronic cigarettes is also permitted in closed rooms – except in schools and hospitals.
“Over the top” and “intimidating”
A public debate has now flared up regarding the draft law by the non-partisan department head, which is not only attracting smokers. Some of Schillaci’s cabinet colleagues are also vehemently opposed to it. Deputy Prime Minister and head of the right-wing populist ruling party Lega, Matteo Salvini, who quit smoking four years ago, considers the ban on e-cigarettes outdoors to be “exaggerated”. “Electronic cigarettes are helping many people give up regular cigarettes,” he added.
Giorgio Mule, vice-president of the chamber and member of parliament for the right-wing conservative Forza Italia, appealed to common sense: “It’s enough not to be a Taliban. Why also ban smoking for those who are outdoors and if it doesn’t bother anyone?” There is no reason for that. He would rather ban the online sale of e-cigarettes to protect young people from it.
Mule’s party colleague and Liguria Region President Giovanni Toti wrote on Facebook that there were other pressing needs in the country that needed to be addressed. There are also limits to restricting personal freedoms. Smoking indoors restricts the freedom of others, while smoking outdoors only restricts the freedom of the smokers themselves, says Toti.
Secretary of State for Culture Vittorio Sgarbi, known for his extraverted style, called Schillaci’s plans “intimidating” and said such bans would encourage people to smoke. “This is typical of an authoritarian and dictatorial communist regime,” Sgarbi said, according to the media.
applause from the opposition
Comments of approval came from members of the opposition. Former Secretary of State for Health Sandra Zampa of the social democratic Partito Democratico, for example, said she understood “minister Schillaci’s strictness” on the issue. “Many illnesses are related to smoking,” says Zampa, adding that e-cigarettes are also not without risk.
Now that Schillaci’s plans have become public and sparked a debate, some plans might be watered down because they are considered unpopular, Italian media speculate. Meanwhile, MP Giovanni Donzelli from Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s post-fascist Fratelli d’Italia party called for waiting for the official announcement and not commenting on the leaks.
One in four smokes
Of course, Schillaci’s plans didn’t come out of the blue. The minister had already announced his intention to drastically tighten the smoking ban in January. If he does not find a majority for it, there is also the possibility of enforcing the smoking ban by decree.
According to Italy’s top health institute ISS, around 24 percent of Italian adults were smokers last year – around 12.4 million people, the highest percentage since 2009. Experts estimate that at least 43,000 people die in Italy every year from the effects of smoking.