Swiss 'no' to tighter smoking ban

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Swiss 'no' to tighter smoking ban

Published: 23 Sep 2012 at 22.52
Online news: Health

Two in three Swiss voters rejected a referendum Sunday aimed at tightening a smoking ban, to the relief of the hotel and restaurant sector that had complained of excess regulation.

Only Geneva voted slightly in favour of the initiative, while results from Switzerland's other 25 cantons showed that 66 percent rejected it, the ATS news agency reported.

The Swiss Business Federation hailed what it called a "heartening'' result, saying the stricter laws would have "weighed on the restaurant sector as well as other economic sectors.''

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oldexp
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Discussion 8 : 24 Sep 2012 at 14.408
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This "fight" is not about smoking no longer. This "fight" starts being about personal freedom.
Laws do more and more cut away personal freedom and responsibility and hand over decisions to some anonymous power in the states.
A part: Why do these lobbyist not fight with same conviction against diesel fumes, burnt garbage, burnt forests, large scale pollution?
All of them worldwide problems that kill much more people than secondhand smoke.
They wouldn't get reelected, wouldn't get profit for these noble task. That's why.
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mitrapaap
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Discussion 7 : 24 Sep 2012 at 13.197
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D3: You are right, I do not like the decision of the majority, but I do accept it. Tobacco tax: that's only one side of the medal. The other side are the healthcare costs caused by smoking. I can't tell you which one is higher, the revenue from the tobacco tax or the amount spent on the results from smoking.
D5: Please get an update. Every Swiss male citizen having his army weapon stored at home is history. It is not the case anymore.
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bluebottle
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Discussion 6 : 24 Sep 2012 at 12.116
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I am surprised at Switzerland rejecting this it is the cleanest country I have visited,its squeaky clean.
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spiceman
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Discussion 5 : 24 Sep 2012 at 11.395
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Obviously, Switzerland is a country full of grownups. Besides, it has both the highest gun ownership and the lowest crime rate in the world!
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fundeena
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Discussion 4 : 24 Sep 2012 at 11.104
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As an ex-smoker of 20+ years and having quit 23 years ago. I can say, do yourself and everyone else around you a favor.
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yik
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Discussion 3 : 24 Sep 2012 at 11.043
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mitrapaap D2: "The only hooray is for the working democracy" so you, obviously, do not like the decision (no tighter smocking ban), but you seemingly 'like' the democratic process - well that is it. BTW: tobacco is very heavily taxed in Switzerland, the lost revenue would mess up things considerably!
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mitrapaap
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Discussion 2 : 24 Sep 2012 at 07.032
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No hooray for Switzerland at all. What the smoker blows out of his lungs is exactly the same as he pulled into his lungs, so passive smoking is the same as smoking. If a smoking ban had such an adverse impact on the hotel and restaurant business, then why can a canton like Geneva afford to ban smoking? All restaurants and hotels should have gone bankrupt already, but they didn't. Look at Thailand, it works. Switzerland could learn something from Thailand.

The only hooray is for the working Democracy. Anybody can call for a law to be considered and a refereundum to be held, and at the end the majority wins - period. No mob no demonstrations, no harrassment. For this, Thailand could learn something from Switzerland.
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GenetheMachine
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Discussion 1 : 24 Sep 2012 at 02.111
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Hooray for Switzerland. Second hand smoke does not kill anyone. In the forties and fifties 90% of US adults smoked non-filtered cigarettes. They did not drop dead. Nor did the rest of the population. There were even ashtrays in elevators. If you smoke 3 packs a day for 20+ years, you will get cancer and die a painful death. Moderation in all things is the key. Just a few years ago 2 people died from drinking too much water in a short time. One was a college fraternity hazing and the other was a woman in a radio contest. I am not saying smoking is good for you. But governments have gone too far to control personal choices of individuals. A Gothic wrote, "If everyone swept the street in front of their home the whole world would be clean."
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