19. 06. 09. - 17:00

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19. 06. 09. - 17:00

Almost two thirds satisfied with anti-smoking law

Sixty-three per cent of Austrians are satisfied with implementation of the new anti-smoking law that has been on the books for almost half a year.

Thirty-three per cent want a total ban on smoking in bars and restaurants, 15 per cent are dissatisfied with the present situation in regard to smoking, and 16 per cent have no opinion, according to a recent poll by market-research firm "market."

The anti-smoking law forbids smoking in establishments with an area larger than 50 square metres unless there are separate rooms for smokers and non-smokers. Establishments with areas smaller than 50 square metres may permit or ban smoking.

In the poll, 73 per cent said they had already noticed the impact of the new law, with 91 per cent of smokers saying they had and 67 per cent of non-smokers saying they had.

Market also polled 300 proprietors of bars and restaurants, of whom 79 per cent said they feared a ban on smoking would harm them economically and 70 per cent said they feared they would have to lay employees off because of a ban on smoking.

Fifty-one per cent of the proprietors said they had already felt the negative economic impact of the recession.

Twenty-seven per cent of Austria’s 70,000 bars and restaurants will have to restructure their premises if they are to continue to permit smoking in them, and 12 per cent have already begun to do so. They have until the end of June 2010 to finish such work.

Market chief Werner Beutelmeyer’s presentation of poll results today (Fri) at a press conference caused controversy.

Manfred Neuberger from Vienna Medical University accused Beutelmeyer of having "manipulated" poll results to show greater satisfaction with the new anti-smoking law than really existed. Neuberger cited the results of a market poll in May 2007 showing 63 per cent of Austrians wanted a total ban on smoking and said he doubted public opinion would have changed so radically in such a short period of time.

Dietmar Erlacher, the head of self-help group "Cancer patients for cancer patients" threatened to complain about establishments that failed to display required information about smoking on their premises.

Market polled 403 Austrians older than 15 years of age.

Austrian Times

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