Some 52% of the Dutch are opposed to a total ban on smoking in bars and cafes, making them the most pro public smoking in Europe, according to European Commission research.

In Italy only 6% are against a ban. The European average is 32%.
A spokeswoman for the Dutch anti-smoking group Stivoro told the Volkskrant that it may be that the health arguments against smoking have become lost in the Netherlands. The media focus has been on the economic effects of the ban on bars, she said.
Only 66% of the Dutch support a ban on smoking in restaurants, compared with a European average of 79%. In Italy almost everyone supports a smoke-free eating environment, the research showed.