Smoking ban abandoned in small cafes

Health and safety inspectors will no longer check if small bars and cafes are observing the smoking ban, health minister Ab Klink said on Wednesday.


The decision follows a second court ruling which said the ban did not apply to bars without personnel.
But cafes with staff will continue to face checks to make sure the ban on smoking is being upheld, Klink said.
The minister is currently working on amendments to the smoking ban to make sure all cafes and bars have a smoke-free area, Nos tv reported.
No staff
On Friday, the Leeuwarden appeal court ruled small cafe De Kachel did not have stop people smoking inside because the law does not ban smoking as such.
Instead, the law states that cafes have to take steps to protect staff against smoking. But this cannot apply to cafes without staff, the court said.
Earlier, the owner of cafe Victoria in Breda was found not guilty of breaking the law on the same grounds.
Appeals
The public prosecution department said on Wednesday it is to appeal to the high court against the Leeuwarden appeal court decision. An appeal against the Breda decision is also pending.

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