09/06/2007 00:00:00
Netherlands: Cabinet: Smoking Only in Separate Areas in Bars from
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THE HAGUE, 09/06/07 - The cabinet decided Friday that smoking will be
banned from 1 July 2008 in the hotels, restaurants and catering (horeca)
sector. Horeca entrepreneurs will still be able to allow smoking in
separate areas so long as personnel do not enter these.
TV programme RTL Nieuws intercepted a draft letter from Health Minister
Ab Klink Klink to the Lower House this week announcing the ban. Although
Klink had declined on Thursday to confirm the imminent ban and added
that it was not certain it would receive cabinet approval, the cabinet
did support his proposal Friday.
The cabinet is proposing to the Lower House to ban smoking throughout
the horeca sector from 1 July 2008. Cafes would be allowed to designate
space for smokers, but customers may not be served in these sections.
The present law specifies that employees have the right to a smoke-free
workplace. Up to now, the horeca sector has been exempted from this
existing law.
The conservative (VVD), Party for Freedom (PVV) and Socialist Party (SP)
opposition parties prefer self-regulation by the sector to legislation.
A Lower House majority is however likely to support the ban, although it
might still seek an exemption for cannabis bars. These so-called 'coffee
shops' also have to ban smoking of cigarettes and joints in areas where
personnel is working. It is unclear whether the cabinet proposal also
bans smoking of 'pure' joints, containing only cannabis and not tobacco.
http://www.nisnews.nl/public/090607_1.htm
Source:
http://www.ukcia.org/news/shownewsarticle.php?articleid=12598
Author:
NIS News via UKCIA
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