Smokers in Greece face high pulmonary disease rates

Nov 25, 2008, 9:08 GMT

Athens - Greeks, known as being among Europe's heaviest smokers, suffer high rates of pulmonary disease, with non-smokers also facing health risks, statistics published Tuesday showed.

According Constantinos Gourgoulianis, the head of Greece's Pneumonological Society, 8.4 per cent of all Greeks suffer from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease although in rural areas the number rises to 15.1 per cent.

The news for urban residents is not much better as Athenians who are non-smokers actually inhale the equivalent of up to four cigarettes a day from other people who do smoke, according to a report published in the Greek daily Kathimerini newspaper.

Greece has just over a year to go before a ban outlaws the habit in all public places, including restaurants, bars and offices as of January 1, 2010.

The new law will have a heavy impact on a nation where nearly 45 per cent of the adult population smokes, and where smoking in offices and cafes is seen as a traditional pastime.

The government has already banned smoking in hospitals and taxis and requires restaurant and bar owners to designate smoking and non- smoking areas to safeguard public health.

However, the measures have been widely ignored. The Health Ministry has said the new law is aimed at saving the lives of an estimated 6,000 people who die every year from smoking in Greece.

Under the new law, smoking will be banned in public places, including all bars and restaurants, offices, hospitals and on all forms of public transport. The restrictions will also apply in all outlets that produce and sell food.

Under the new law, there will be designated areas set aside for smokers in offices. The bill also aims to keep minors under the age of 18 from smoking and consuming alcohol by banning their access to bars and clubs.

It will also impose a fine of 1,000 euros (1,276 dollars) on the owners and managers of bars and nightclubs that fail to respect the restrictions.

Repeat offenders will face fines of up to 20,000 euros and have their licenses revoked. The bill also foresees similar fines for those caught selling cigarettes to minors.

Unlike most of the rest of the European Union, Greece has no age limit on the purchase of tobacco, according to the World Health Organization.