Smoking

Lawmakers on Tuesday will be voting on the government's new law for clamping down on smoking in public, which also introduces stricter bans and stiffer fines than the previous, much-flouted legislation.

If the Health Ministry draft bill is ratified, as expected, the new law will go into effect the following day.

People will be able to report violations of the smoking ban on a three-digit number, according to Health Minister Vassilis Kikilias, who reiterated the government's intention to enforce the relevant law.

Over 8,000,000 pieces of illegal cigarettes were seized as part of a joint operation by the State Security Service and the Customs Agency.

Cigarettes and cigarette-free tobacco were seized by police in Haskovo

The Turkish government intends to ban the sale and import of e-cigarettes, Health Minister Fahrettin Koca announced, BTA reported.

The matter will be discussed in Parliament.

A Health Ministry draft law that is under public consultation until Wednesday seeks to further strengthen Greece's much-flouted ban on smoking in indoor public areas by expanding its scope and enlisting the help of the police.

Under policies meant to discourage the public from puffing up, drivers caught smoking in cars in Turkey may face a fine. 

Greek Health Minister Vassilis Kikilias has banned smoking in all public places where there are children. An anti-drug campaign is also starting in Bulgaria's neighbour. Fines of up to 10,000 euro will be imposed on the sale of alcohol and cigarettes to minors, BNR reported.

In an effort to reduce the amount of litter in the streets, the municipality of Athens adopted the interactive "Gopa project" which urges smokers to vote on a number of topics by throwing their cigarette butts in containers installed around the city.

The first e-cigarette death case in Los Angeles has been registered. This is the fourth such fatal incident in the United States in two weeks, BNT reported.

The local health department issued warnings to all consumers of such products. It is not yet known what is the exact cause of the lung injury of the deceased.

Attica public health inspectors have imposed a financial penalty on an employee of the capital's G. Gennimata hospital after she was found to be smoking on the premises during an inspection on August 8, it emerged on Friday.