The Knesset's Health Committee, headed by MK Haim Katz (LIKUD), today approved the widening of the anti-smoking laws. The comittee included more areas in which it will be illegal to smoke, and the new regulations will go into effect in 30 days.

According to the newly widened regulations, it will no longer be allowed to smoke in covered bus stops, the areas of public pools with their courtyards, the train station platforms (not including a designated area for smoking), and central bus stations (not including a designated smoking room). As well, bus drivers will not be allowed to smoke on the bus before passengers get on, people will not be allowed to smoke within 10 meters of the entrance to health clinics and hospitals. And, no longer will it be allowed to designate smoking areas in stairwells and hallways.

They wanted to also include sports arenas in the ban, but decided against it, for now.

They also are changing the percentages of how much space must be designated for smokers in cafes and restaurants. They say much of the space is not used, and not having enough space in the non-smoking sections forces non-smokers to sit in the smoking section, exposing them to second-hand smoke they are not interesting in. The new regulations say that the smoking section cannot be larger than 15 square meters. in wedding halls the size will be no greater than 25% of the seating.

This is another step in Israel's embracing a healthier lifestyle. Smokers can still smoke, though it is getting really inconvenient, but the rest of us don't need to suffer.

And, if I may, this might be a good time to point out that if smokers would smoke electric cigarettes (affiliate code with 10% discount built in) when in public, they wouldn't need to be so inconvenienced by all these changing regulations...






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