I was surprised today to see the Syndicate of Owners of Restaurants in Lebanon is now calling for a protest on Wednesday at Sodeco to amend the anti-smoking law (law 174) and make it “more fair”. More fair as in allowing restaurants to apply for special permits to allow indoor smoking at their premises, and next thing you know everyone is getting a permit!
Check how pathetic the poster is, “Are you sick of having to smoke outside already ? Wait until winter starts…”, that’s how basically those restaurants owners are asking people to join their protest, and second-hand smoker at indoor places can of course fuck off!
What’s even more rediculous is that they’re calling the activisits who pushed for this law to be implemented as “a bunch of stupid people”. In fact, for calling to amend such law, the Syndicate of Owners of Restaurants in Lebanon and the people advising them should be aware that they’re actually a bunch of retards!
In France and in Spain they smoke more than Lebanese do, and yet, they accepted the anti-smoking laws and u know what…. surprise surprise… restaurants, bistros, tavernas, did not go bankrupt, did not close their doors and people just got used to it! Same thing for smoking in cinemas, when the laws took place in the 70ies people thought that cinemas will close and people will stop going there! …. check it out, people go there now (even in Lebanon) and don’t smoke and they are packed. So, stop this non-sense and adapt, its a law that is for the good of everyone!
I ll visit lebanon this Xmas, and I will not accept to get into a resto, bar, club etc… that is not following the anti-smoke law!!
100%
Yes they are!!
Such a contradicting statement to ‘Breathe & Let Breathe’ slogan!
“Wait until winter starts” ? its barely 10 degrees here in winter!! they can get few heaters and sit outside like they do in downtown its not a big deal pfff!
they cant do it gradually because there is a goal for WHO to reduce cancer and heart diseases by 25% worldwide by 2020, but we do not have time and the agreement was set in 2005, for example france started in 1991 implementing gradually before the agreement, but wasnt their goal to implement it gradually, studies showed that it was working and the damage was still the same so they applied full smoking ban, so they should stop making excuses
Guys, do some actual research before starting to discuss this, if you cared enough to understand what the syndicate is trying to do you wouldn’t give them anything but support. Everyone is for the law, but within reason, do you know how many places have shut down business because of the law? how many people have lost their jobs? how many college kids are running out of tuition? how many people are not making ends meet because sales have dropped by 70%? what happens to these people? you really think that a shisha place should shut down business? people are going there to smoke, the 3 top winter clubs are closing shop MEANWHILE teachers can smoke in schools, and we all know kids are doing it as well, government employees are still smoking inside government institutions, and above all pubs and bars that have “connections” don’t even need to mind the law. Oh and a pack of cigarettes is still less than 2$. And you guys are talking about the syndicate making excuses, fact is, peoples’ lives are being ruined, what about the tens of millions of dollars worth of investment? how do people pay back their loans now?. i will admit that the way the flyer positions things is terrible, a 12 year old could have done a better job, but focus on the important part Yes to Non-Smoking, No to Nonsense
1- the ONLY reason for their loss is because of the economical situation bad touristic season which started wayy wayy before implementing law174 and the crisis in Syria and NOT because of this law
2- if they DONT protest against raising taxes and gas prices they DONT have the right to protest against this law
3- they r demanding for indoor smoking sections, well did u know that in europe there r cigar lounges and SOME indoor smoking sections but waiters r not allowed to enter (self service) ? can lebanese do that ? i DONT think so
4- plus they cant calculate the loss because of smoking ban in 2 months statistically it should be calculated per YEAR!
5- if shops r closing and college kids are running out of tuition NOT because of the smoking ban stop talking nonsense!
6-let the syndicate be an example for the governmental institutions by abiding the law
I read all of the above and want to add my experience. i live in Switzerland and swiss are perfectionists and dont play when they issue laws. here every restaurant, pub, club etc has to specialize a smoking area with glass etc and special strong air circulators or whatever you call it to clean up the air from all the smoke. at the beginning people got angry and believe me a its not funny for a smoker to go out of the club and smoke the cigaret at the entrance of the club with temps under 0 when its winter and nobody dared to say anything. lebanese nagg and love it. just build up the fumoires and the smokers are allowed to smoke there and the ones that dont smoke can visit the same place bala do5an.