NORWAY: Norway became the second country in the world after the Republic of Ireland to ban smoking in bars and restaurants. Smokers stubbed out their final cigarettes at midnight last night.
The June 1st law aims to protect waiters, bartenders and other staff from second-hand smoke, blamed for causing cancer, respiratory and heart diseases.
Opinion polls show that the law, following the ban in the Republic on March 29th, has broad support despite worries by owners of restaurants and bars that business will be hit.
"This is a milestone in our health policy. In a few years' time we'll look back and ask 'why on earth didn't we do this earlier?'," Norwegian health minister Dagfinn Hoybraaten said.
Norway did not regulate smoking until 1988 but Hoybraaten said it was already unthinkable to have to share an office or a lift with a smoker or to light up on a train or a bus.
At Oslo airport, visitors will be met by a picture of two men standing by a river and proudly showing off a fish. "The only thing we smoke here is salmon," the caption reads.
Norwegian health authorities will hand out 40,000 flowers around the country on Monday to symbolise a freshening up of the air.
The Irish and Norwegian bans follow similar moves in the US, where regional restrictions have been implemented. Other countries are considering following suit.