With summer and warmer temperatures, I’m always longing to be outside, perhaps sipping a cup of tea or coffee at a waterside cafe. One thing Europe definitely has going for it over the US is the café culture. A few American cities approach the European sensibility, such as New York City or Asheville, NC, but it’s not what I’d call widespread.

One change over the last few years, though, is the gradual introduction of smoking bans across the continent. A few weeks ago I went on a weekend trip to Brussels with my family visiting from the US. When we checked into our hotel, I was pleased to see a notice informing me that as of Jan. 2007, smoking is prohibited in public places such as hotels and restaurants (but not bars & cafes) in Belgium. Ireland & Norway banned smoking in all public places including bars back in 2004, and many other countries followed–with some variations. New York City also has a ban on smoking since 2003, even in bars. Surprisingly, the Netherlands and Germany trail in this trend, especially when it comes to eating and drinking establishments. In the Netherlands it is still possible to light up in a restaurant (ugh, talk about an appetite suppressant!), but that looks likely to change by next year. Last weekend here in Amsterdam at a private party, I noticed a couple of people smoking while dancing on a crowded dance floor, and this didn’t seem socially unacceptable.

Many people, including probably my mom, will say that it should be okay to smoke in a place that serves alcohol, but I disagree. Small bars and cafes fill up easily with smoke, making it a very unpleasant experience for those who don’t smoke. It’s not just that it’s unpleasant; it’s been shown in studies that second-hand smoke causes lung cancer and heart disease. I would go so far as to say that even in outdoor café seating areas, tobacco smoke is annoying and should be regulated. Smoke may disperse more easily outdoors, but often it just drifts right towards me like a target. I also sometimes see smokers trying hard to keep their smoke away from their companions, but that results in the cigarette and smoke being closer to someone else! Civil libertarians take note: my position is you are free exercise your right to smoke anything you want, as long as your rights don’t infringe on mine to breathe clean air.

Speaking of smoking anything you want, when the Netherlands’ proposed ban takes effect next year, it seems it will affect the infamous “coffee shops” as well. Currently, one can buy and smoke marijuana in certain licensed cafes (that don’t serve alcohol). Historically the government has boasted that this tolerance of “soft drugs” has allowed the country to concentrate on prosecuting hard drug dealers and users, and has decreased drug related crime. It’s still unclear how the proposed ban will affect the coffee shops. They may be allowed to have smokers in a separated, ventilated area. In New York City there are also loopholes. There exists such a thing there called “cigar bars” or hookah bars. In these establishments it is okay to smoke, I guess because it’s ostensibly the main reason why one would go there. These make up a tiny percentage of the number of bars in NYC, so it would be hard to argue that an employee had little choice but to work in a smoky environment. Owner operated bars are allowed to have smoking too.

A similar approach could work in the Netherlands, where smoking is allowed only in cafes designed for, well, smoking. In my opinion though, the Europeans should stop mixing tobacco with their marijuana. While one can certainly question the health issues of marijuana on the user, there is no clear-cut research that shows ill effects of 2nd hand marijuana smoke. Plus, it smells better.

So, have smoking bans cramped your style? Do they make you more likely to go out, or more likely to stay home? Let’s hear your opinion! -Jill Woodward