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[size=85:3lv07uvc]novinite 03 May 2010

Bulgaria's Oldest Restaurant Institutes Full Smoking Ban

The management of one of Bulgaria's oldest and most popular restaurants in downtown Sofia - (Crimea) has decided to impose full smoking ban inside the establishment.

The management sent a letter to the media notifying that beginning June 1, 2010, smoking is not allowed anywhere in the building, except in the outside garden tables and despite the recent decision by the parliamentary majority from the Citizens for European Development of Bulgaria (GERB) party to eliminate the full smoking ban voted by the previous Parliament and supposed to become effective in the beginning of June. The ban was postponed for an undetermined time period and the current orders to have separate smoking and non-smoking rooms remained.

The decision was made unanimously. We are convinced it is the right one and we hope our example would be followed by other restaurant owners, the press release reads.

Krim,formerly the Russian Club, is situated he very heart of Sofia, inside one of the most beautiful buildings in Bulgaria's capital.

It dates from 1910 and was built by Teodor Teodorov - a distinguished Russophile, Member of the Parliament and Prime Minister of Bulgaria. Over the years the restaurant kept its fame of being one of the top attractions for bohemians in Sofia. Its regular guests included and include famous authors, artists, actors, musicians, politicians and sport stars. Ornella Mutti, Barbara de Rossi, Catherine Deneuve, Sandrine Bonnaire, Morgan Freeman, Roy Scheider, as well as film directors- Luigi Perelli, Claude Brasseur, Krzysztof Zanussi, Nikita Mikhalkov and Andrei Konchalovsky have all dined there.

starlite wrote:

so you have all got to be miserable by law.

Hasn't that already been de rigeur in the UK for a few years now?

Im waiting to see the effects of the smoking ban in the villages, many villages only have one bar. will the expats abandon the bars and socialise in each others houses. this would be devastating to bar owners. but i think this may happen.

[size=55:2x0s5ipy]novinite


Contribution of smoking-related and alcohol-related deaths to the gender gap in mortality: evidence from 30 European countries

Background Women now outlive men throughout the globe, a mortality advantage that is very established in developed European countries. Debate continues about the causes of the gender gap, although smoking is known to have been a major contributor to the difference in the past.

Objectives To compare the magnitude of the gender gap in all-cause mortality in 30 European countries and assess the contribution of smoking-related and alcohol-related deaths.

Methods Data on all-cause mortality, smoking-related mortality and alcohol-related mortality for 30 European countries were extracted from the World Health Organization Health for All database for the year closest to 2005. Rates were standardised by the direct method using the European population standard and were for all age groups. The proportion of the gender gap in all-cause mortality attributable to smoking-related and alcohol-related deaths was then calculated.

Results There was considerable variation in the magnitude of the male ‘excess’ of all-cause mortality across Europe, ranging from 188 per 100 000 per year in Iceland to 942 per 100 000 per year in Ukraine. Smoking-related deaths accounted for around 40% to 60% of the gender gap, while alcohol-related mortality typically accounted for 20% to 30% of the gender gap in Eastern Europe and 10% to 20% elsewhere in Europe.

Conclusions Smoking continues to be the most important cause of gender differences in mortality across Europe, but its importance as an explanation for this difference is often overshadowed by presumptions about other explanations. Changes in smoking patterns by gender suggest that the gender gap in mortality will diminish in the coming decades.

Introduction

Since the late 1990s there has been evidence that women now outlive men in all countries of the world.1 Historical records show that in Sweden, Denmark, Italy, The Netherlands, England and Wales, the life expectancy of women has exceeded that of men since the mid to late 18th century, and there has been speculation about the causes of gender differences since that time.2 Different explanations have been postulated for this gender gap, including biological factors. However, there is considerable variability, and sometimes rapid change,3 in the magnitude of the female mortality advantage over time and in different countries, a variability that poses challenges for simple biological explanations for the gender gap. Earlier research suggested that health behaviours, and particularly men's higher prevalence of smoking, were a major cause of gender differences in the US.4 Here, we use contemporary mortality data for 30 European countries to examine the extent to which men's higher mortality can be explained by smoking-related and alcohol-related deaths.

Methods

All-cause mortality, smoking-related mortality (defined as cancers of the respiratory tract, ischaemic heart disease, cerebrovascular disease and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease;
International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems 10th Revision (ICD-10) codes C00–C14, C32–C34, C15, I20–I25, I60–I69 and J40–J47) and alcohol-related mortality (defined as cancers of the oesophagus and larynx, alcohol dependence syndrome, alcohol psychosis, chronic liver disease, liver cirrhosis and external causes;
ICD10 codes C15, C32, F10, K70, K73, K74, V00–V99, W00–W99, X00–X99 and Y00–Y99) were extracted from the World Health Organization Health for All (WHO-HFA) database.5

All death rates were standardised by the direct method using the European population standard and were for all age groups. Data were used for the year closest to 2005 (range 2003/2004 to 2006). The proportion of the gender gap in all-cause mortality that was smoking-related and alcohol-related was calculated for each country as the gender gap for each cause divided by the gender gap for all causes.

Results

Although all-cause death rates are higher for men than for women in all countries, there continues to be considerable variation in the extent of the gender difference in contemporary Europe. The gender gap in all-cause death rates varied from 188 (per 100 000 per year) ‘excess’ deaths among men in Iceland to 942 in Ukraine (see table 1). The gender gap showed some geographical patterning such that all of the countries with a gender gap in excess of 400 per 100 000 per year were located in Eastern Europe. Three Northern European countries (Iceland, UK and Sweden) and two Mediterranean countries (Greece and Cyprus) had a gender mortality gap of 230 per 100 000 per year or less. Outside the former Soviet block, Belgium (323 per 100 000 per year), Spain (332), France (336), Finland (362) and Portugal (367) had the highest gender gaps in all-cause mortality.

[size=85:17omzod2]novinite

Bulgarian PM Announces New Smoking Ban Deadline

The option to introduce full smoking ban in establishments in Bulgaria in 2013 is on the table, Prime Minister, Boyko Borisov, informs.

Borisov, who is on an official visit to Japan, commented for the media from the Bulgarian Embassy in Tokyo, saying BGN 3 B a year go to health care and smoking is harmful for the health.

Tokyo has a full smoking ban in all outdoor and indoor spaces.

The PM stated he was convinced the ban must apply to even small establishments in Bulgaria.

"
I was in the Vitosha mountain last weekend and saw these places where families with young children stop for a cup of tea and there is so much smoke inside, so, yes, we must have a full smoking ban in 2013,"
Borisov declared, adding the issue will be debated in the Parliament.

The PM pointed out it would be great if the ban can be introduced immediately, but after talking to the business, it was decided to delay it to give the opportunity to owners to recuperate their investments in ventilation and other equipment.

The deadline recommended by the European Commission is 2015.

Just one day ago, the private TV Channel bTV announced that the full smoking ban in Bulgaria has been postponed for January 1, 2014.

The agreement has been reached during a meeting between Borisov and representatives of hotel and restaurant owners, who were quoted saying they were deeply grateful to the PM for the "
pleasant surprise"
and vowed to "
be ready"
by 2014.

Launch date for complete smoking ban in Bulgaria still uncertain

byDnevnik.bg

Bulgaria has not made a final decision on the timeframe for the introduction of a complete ban on smoking in public areas, the country's Health Ministry said.

The proposed restrictions will be discussed next year, the Ministry said.

On January 23 2011, Prime Minister Boiko Borissov told television channel bTV that the complete ban would take effect in 2014, a move that had been agreed by representatives of the hotel and restaurant business at a meeting held on January 18.

In January, the government obliged all cafes and restaurants covering less than 50 sq m to adopt the smoking ban in the summer of 2011.

Bulgarian Prime Minister proposes new date for complete smoking ban introduction
T
byDnevnik.bg

Bulgaria's Prime Minister Boiko Borissov is proposing that the complete ban on smoking in public areas should take effect in the middle or the end of 2013.

Borissov was convinced his decision was correct, but the final ruling would be made after debates in Parliament, he told journalists in Japan during an official visit.

He said that the deadline was realistic and would not affect owners of restaurants that had invested in ventilation systems and designating special areas for smoking, as required at the start of 2011.

Last week, Borissov met with representatives of the hotel and restaurant business and agreed to postpone the introduction of the proposed restrictions until 2014, despite Health Minister Stefan Konstantinov's request to impose a full ban in 2012, Blagoi Ragin, head of the Bulgarian Hoteliers and Restaurant Organisation (BHRO), said after the meeting.

In turn, the Health Ministry said the decision on the date for introducing a full ban would be taken next year.

Smoking ban in bars???

There are no official figures as of yet, but according to the bTV report, more than 1000 establishments were probed, with 32 fines being issued. Furthermore, there were 54 cases of complaints from customers.

Read the full story in the Sofia Echo 14th Feb 2011

Interesting post guys.The ban in UK has killed trade,I fear that the small business owner here in BG will be the ones to suffer the most,it's the same story in every country.Funnily enough every establishment we have been to that is donning no smoking signs have rushed straight up to us with ashtrays!Our local cafe is ignoring signs and carrying on.I say good on you Bulgaria.Smoker or not,it's the true determination of these people not to be dictated to that gets the thumbs up!

Pavingslabsbg wrote:

Interesting post guys.The ban in UK has killed trade,I fear that the small business owner here in BG will be the ones to suffer the most,it's the same story in every country.Funnily enough every establishment we have been to that is donning no smoking signs have rushed straight up to us with ashtrays!Our local cafe is ignoring signs and carrying on.I say good on you Bulgaria.Smoker or not,it's the true determination of these people not to be dictated to that gets the thumbs up!

Although I'm not a smoker I do feel that what your saying is so very correct I think the whole world seems to have gone mad and for those who don't want to be around people who smoke then my answer is to go elsewhere, I'm afraid that once the EU have got their claws into Bulgaria there will no stopping them and things can only get worse as time goes by which is very sad we will all live ion a clinical world one day and I'm glad I won't be around to live like that.

sarah

[size=55:r4yhomol]Standart

Curfew for Smokers Is Over
[size=75:r4yhomol]Smoking ban will be lifted after the end of inspectors’ working hours

Savvy pub-keepers have found a chink in the law banning smoking in restaurants and pubs in Bulgaria. Actually, in many places the rule has not been observed, be it openly or covertly. Small cafeteria and bars allow smoking after the working day of officers from the regional public health inspectorate is over and no raids are expected. After 5 p.m. they put ashtrays on the tables again. Early morning (before 9 a.m) one can also enjoy a cigarette with a cup of coffee, which means that by and large the ban is valid only nine to six. “We are trying to stay afloat, without smokers we’ll go bankrupt,” cafeterias’ owners comment. Otherwise, the public health watchdogs are up and around every day, often after

[size=55:393wd89j]Sofia echo

Health inspectors detect 2000 violations of public smoking ban in a month

Health inspectors have detected more than 2000 violations of the public smoking ban since the "
sustained checks started on February 14"
, Bulgarian media reported on April 1 2011.

Bulgaria's Government began actively verifying compliance with the ban, which went into force in December 2010, in February, with inspectors carrying out "
systematic checks"
in restaurants and bars. Fines for pubs and restaurants range from 300 leva at the first offence to 1500 leva for a repeat violation, while companies will be fined from 500 to 10 000 leva for failure to comply with the ban

Since February 14, regional inspectors across the country have probed 27 031 establishments, including restaurants, offices, hotels, hospitals, schools, train and bus stations. The authorities have said that swoops are ongoing.

During the course of the investigation it was established that the most common violations were the lack of marking pointing out to the designated areas for smokers or non-smokers, problems with ventilation systems or the presence of children in places where people smoke, the report said.

Inspectors launched on February 14 "
systematic probes"
in restaurants and bars to determine if the new anti-smoking regulations in public places were being implemented correctly.

There is still no decision on whether the Government will implement a full smoking ban.

[size=55:1t2567j1]novinite

Bulgaria to Introduce Full Smoking Ban 2012

Bulgaria will introduce a full smoking ban, but not earlier than 2012, the country's Health Minister, Stefan Konstantinov, declared Thursday.

Bulgaria is second only to Greece in the percentage of smokers, and first in the EU on the percentage of smokers between 15 and 20 years of age, as Konstantinov pointed out recently.

According to the current restrictions that entered into effect on December 19, 2010, indoor smoking in restaurants, clubs, bars, hotels, railroad stations, airports, malls, offices and schools is allowed only in separate spaces with closing doors.

The ruling Bulgarian centrist-right GERB party has been sending mixed messages regarding restrictions to smoking in public after in 2010 it backed down on a planned universal ban in public venues over protests by restaurant and cafe owners.

:shocked1:How will they survive ::

oddy

how will i survive !!! good job i donr go out much anymore......

oddball wrote:

:shocked1:How will they survive ::

oddy

The businesses that survive will be the businesses that want to survive. On my last visit to BG I noticed that many of the restaurants and bars had made alterations to accommodate both smokers and non-smokers and everybody was happy

Most of the time. we the public don't like change and it come's harder to some than others, for those who do not smoke it is an absolute pleasure to go out for a lovely evening meal and know that you can enjoy it without your eyes smarting and your cloths having to go into the washing machine on returning home
For those who do enjoy a fag at the meal table as part of their menu and you don't object to putting on smokey cloths next day, then long may it continue

My Son smokes, but not allowed in the house and he respects that, he also tells me that his taste buds are different to mine because of smoking, and he wasn't talking about kippers either

The biggest problem I can see is the divorce rate going up when husband has a meal one side of the glass partition and the wife sits on the other side

As I said to start with adjust to change and we can all be happy