Many countries in Europe have imposed bans on smoking. They are implemented across all airports, hospitals, public transport, and federal and public buildings. More recently, all public places like restaurants, pubs, workplaces, clubs, public bus stops and underpasses were covered under the smoke-free law in Hungary. According to the WHO, these bans expect to reduce the number of deaths related to coronary illnesses and heart attacks by ten to fifteen per cent within a year.
The Czech Republic has also considered the implementation of a smoking ban, with over 100,000 people signing a petition regarding smoking in restaurants, not approving of the country's high cancer rate and the lack of tobacco control. A full ban is set to be in effect from 2014, wherein children who still haven't attained eighteen years of age will no be allowed entry into establishments where smoking is allowed.
With so many laws and bans being placed, people have been forced to look for alternatives to smoking tobacco. The electronic cigarette is the first choice among most smokers. Despite tobacco cigarettes being so cheap in the Czech Republic, their electronic counterparts' sales have quadrupled in the first three months of 2012.
Since e-cigarettes do not emit smoke that harms the environment, they have been legally accepted in most countries, deemed to have the potential of saving thousands of lives.
Author: Brett Horth
