Smoking Ban Approved In Bulgaria

A smoking ban was approved by Parliament in Bulgaria and will go into affect in June 2012, the government announced. The ban will prevent people from smoking in all public places and forbid smoking cheap R1 Slim cigarettes outside of nurseries, kindergartens and schools. Bulgaria, the poorest member of the European Union, is also the country with the second highest rate of tobacco consumption. Over one third of adults in Bulgaria are smokers, as well as nearly one out of three teenagers between 13 and 15. Bulgaria has already banned smoking in offices and hospitals, in addition to public transportation. In restaurants and bars, smoking and non-smoking sections are required. Even with all these measures, they have been widely ignored. It was thought for a while that a smoking ban on indoor places would hurt the tourist industry, especially by the GERB party, but a health ministry poll found that 63 percent of Bulgarians agree with the proposed ban. Out of the 7.3 million people in the country, nearly 40 percent are believed to be smokers. The social scene in Bulgaria has largely revolved around smoking in restaurants and bars, so the new ban could end up being unpopular among locals, especially in the midst of the economic crisis.