A ban on smoking in public starts in Italy today. The new law prohibits smoking in bars, restaurants, discotheques and offices. The only places left to smoke legally are private homes, the open air or marked smoking areas.
Italy is also spending on plain clothed police to monitor the law, with them patrolling Italy's 240,000 eating and drinking establishments. The country's trade association (FIP) says that only 5% of these establishments have separate smoking rooms.
Health Minister Girolamo Sirchia said: "It's not inspired by the idea of prohibition. It's to protect against passive smoking." The law has seen opposition from the Defense Minister, who said: "I've been smoking since age 18.. it's my sacred right."
