Debate itself 'leads' smokers to quit

Even before the smoking ban in public places has taken full effect, the heated public debate about it has encouraged smokers to quit, according to the director of the Health Promotion Department, Mario Spiteri.

Over the last six months, the department received an unprecedented number of requests from smokers wanting to attend smoking cessation classes, Dr Spiteri told The Times.

Each class is made up of about 24 people, some of whom stumble and fall along the way but a good number have actually quit smoking for good. "One-to-one counselling sessions, introduced two years ago, had the largest success rate since up to 85 per cent of smokers who sought this kind of help actually managed to quit for good," Dr Spiteri said.

The increased awareness was a result of the heated debate in the run up to the introduction of the smoking ban, he said.

"The rowdy and entertaining arguments against the smoking regulations put forward by the GRTU have proven better than any publicity campaign the Health Promotion Department has ever pursued," Dr Spiteri said.

The smoking ban and the awareness it brought with it, he said, was already reaching one of the desired effects, namely, that it would lead smokers to quit their habit.

Commenting on claims made by the GRTU that the ban had hurt sales badly only after a day, Dr Spiteri said such a statement "could not be taken seriously". "Can someone explain to me why people still go to the cinema even if smoking in theatres was prohibited many years ago?" Dr Spiteri asked.

Philip Fenech, president of the hospitality and leisure division of the GRTU, said on Tuesday that leisure establishments had reported a drop in sales, 24 hours after the smoking ban came into force.

Mr Fenech said one cafeteria had reported a fall in sales from a daily Lm110 to a mere Lm19 when the law came into force last Tuesday.

The ban is also said to have put off a number of tourists who, unaware of the new rules, came to Malta on a "smoking holiday".

Bars and restaurants have to be non-smoking but may have a smoking room complying with technical specifications laid down in the law. While these rules apply for establishments measuring more than 60 square metres, smaller establishments have another six months before the law starts to apply to them as well.

But what would be the effect of the new law on small village bars, also known as tat-titotla? How could an owner ask his parruccani (regular patrons), often pensioners and workmen who have been going there for a sandwich and tea all their life, not to smoke?

Dr Spiteri said most village bar owners had solved the issue by erecting a canopy outside their establishment, designating the outside area for smoking - the law was not there to deprive these people of their lifelong habits.

"Though the GRTU used the bars tat-titotla as an excuse, their interest went beyond this. Smoking is directly associated with the leisure industry and by opposing the anti-smoking rules in that way, they proved how much the leisure industry provides a front for the tobacco industry which itself has a nil reputation," Dr Spiteri said.

Asked how the law will be enforced, Dr Spiteri said the police would enforce it. "The police will carry out random checks as well as an inspection if there is a report from an owner or a client."

First time offenders will be fined Lm100 but only following a report by an owner or client, said Dr Spiteri, adding that the law would be applied "reasonably".

Owners will be fined if they are considered to have approved the smoking.