Holland and tobacco: 500 Years Together

New round of the tobacco wars in the Netherlands: Parliament tightens up the laws, but smokers do not give up without a fight. Party of smokers requires authorities to lift the ban on smoking in public places. 30% of Dutch people, including 31% of men and 25% of women smoking cigarettes. One and a half thousand smoked cigarettes account for one head per year. However, the Dutch yield to smokers of the Mediterranean and Eastern Europe, the Netherlands Government proceeds with increasing revolution against tobacco smoking.

Since 2004, the ban on smoking in public places and on transport was put into force. In the summer of next year, another law governing the rights of smokers and bars, will be introduced. Under the new law, consideration of which takes place in the Dutch parliament, in July 2008, cigarette smoking in restaurants and bars would be allowed only in certain rooms, and will not include non-smoking staff. Some Dutch people take the law simply as another attack on traditional liberal system, but officials responsible for the health of the nation, blame the government for being slow. But not all Dutch people welcome such assistance to his government. Recently Partij tegen Bettuteling (Party against paternalism), also known as the Party of smokers held a protest rally at the walls Binnenhof in The Hague.

Leaders demand Dutch smokers from the Minister of Health to stop the paternalism and to lift the ban on smoking in restaurants. Huge rolls of petitions with thousands of characters from the Dutch were distributed along the roads around the Parliament Palace, The Hague. I think that the government threatens us all, they all interfere in our private lives. I know I take risks in my life, but this is my personal life! "said one activist PF-party, smoking a cigarette. He makes no secret of the fact that he smokes three packs of cigarettes per day, but he believes putting the bar to spend some time at the bar owner, who is also a smoker, he has the right to do so, and it makes no sense to ban smoking in bars.