Small Bar Smoking Ban Lifted

The Netherlands might become the first place on earth where a smoking ban is being lifted, if only partially. Whereas other countries are scrambling to ban things which are harmful to people, adults or children - case in point, San Francisco where it is now illegal for fast-food restaurants to give away toys with kiddie meals in the hope of stopping kids craving a cheeseburger - The Dutch government is changing the law to allow small bars without employees to put the ashtrays back on the tables.

Bars where patrons may smoke will have to put up signs at the entrance stating clearly that smoking is allowed inside and the NRC Handelsblad newspaper quotes (Dutch language warning) the Minister of Health as saying:

If you don't like standing in cigarette smoke, you can go somewhere else.

This to me is a wholly reasonable approach to smoking in bars. Although I like being able to go out, have a beer and come home without having to air out my clothes the next morking, I can decide for myself whether or not I want to go to a bar where smoking is allowed. If not, I'll just go to the bar next door. I don't need the government to protect me from any potentially fatal fumes, I can do that just fine on my own.

The entire ban, in the Netherlands at least, was predicated on protecting employees from the dangers of second hand smoke. While I do appreciate the fact that workers have the right (though right may be a bit strong) to work in a smoke-free environment, this is exactly the reason why today's decision is an eminently appropriate one. For if there are no employees to protect in bar, than a law specifically passed to protect them should have no effect. Yet until today it did, giving rise to the impression that the justification given for the law was no more than a fig leaf for yet another paternalistic imposition on the freedom of choice enjoyed by the common citizen.

Today's decision brings the law in line with the stated intent of the lawmakers, something that should be applauded. If politicians continue to clamour for banning smoking altogether, they will from now on be forced to be honest about their true opinions or face justly the shame of hypocrisy, although I do suspect that some politicians will not be deterred by this.