Inspectors carried out just 3,000 cafe and club smoke checks last year

Just one in 20 of the Netherlands bars, cafes and clubs was visited by public health inspectors looking for infringements of the smoking ban last year, the Telegraaf reports.

In total, inspectors carried out 3,000 site visits, even though the ban on smoking applies to some 60,000 cafes and discos, the paper said.

However, ministry figures show just 57% of the Netherlands’ bars and cafes comply with the ban. Smoking is banned in all bars, cafes and restaurants with the exception of bars smaller than 70 m2 without personnel.

Opposition MPs are attempting to have the ban extended across the entire hospitality sector, saying the current situation does not work.

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