Croatia: No More Smoking In Public

The Parliament has adopted the smoking ban. Opposition stated the reason of too many smokers was insufficient education.

ZAGREB, CROATIA – Smoking in all closed public places in Croatia is over. The Croatian Parliament has adopted the Law which bans smoking in all hospitals and schools at the end of this year, while the ban will take effect in cafes and restaurants next year.

Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) member Andrija Hebrang said that limiting the use of tobacco product can save 3,000 lives of non-smokers per year.

- The protection of non-smokers is the fundamental purpose of the proposed law – Hebrang said, adding that the law will make a step in preventing focus on youth, because it was noticed that in the past 10 years, the number of girls who regularly smoke in the first grade of high school has gone up three percent, while the number of boys has gone up five percent.

Marijana Petir believes that statistics showing 10,000 people die from consequences of smoking in Croatian annually is an alarming sign. The Croatian Peasants` Party (HSS) member proposed higher prices of cigarettes for those who have a harder time quitting smoking.

- It is not enough to penalise people who are caught with a cigarette and fines from 30,000 to 150,000 kunas for caterers who do not secure the implementation of the law in their premises – Petir said.

Social Democratic Party (SDP) member Rajko Ostojic warned that a large number of smokers see smoking as a lifestyle, not addiction. The reason for this is insufficient education on the harms of smoking.

Lesar: I am not sufficiently educated because I smoke

- I belong to the group of citizens who are not educated enough, therefore I am a smoker – independent member of Parliament Dragutin Lesar admitted, who, however, doubts the cabinet`s sincere intentions of ending nicotine addiction.

- As long as the country stimulated tobacco production from the state budget, I cannot believe in sincere intentions for nicotine addiction to be rooted out – Lesar said, claiming that the state stimulates cultivating tobacco with over 70 million kuna (approximately 9,589,000 euros) per year.

State secretary with the Croatian Ministry of Health Ante Zvonimir Golem dismissed speculation that the smoking ban would cost the state budget significant funds, seeing how the average smoker singles out 7,000 kuna per year (approximately 960 euros).