In a desperate attempt to reduce dramatic smoking rates, that reached 40% in 2009, Macedonian government adopted legislation that completely outlaws smoking in enclosed public places.

By approving the ban, Macedonia becomes the latest state in South Eastern region to adopt such a measure, despite massive protests from restaurant and bar owners who claimed that the ban would significantly hurt or even destroy their businesses.

In conformity with the present anti-smoking legislation, smoking is permitted in those establishments serving meals and drinks that have specially designated smoking sections physically separated from the rest of the premise and covering not more than 30% of the area of that establishment. However, according to reports, the current legislation is frequently flouted.

The new legislation is planned to enter into effect in January 1 2010. It provides a system of hefty fines for violators of it: individuals caught on smoking in prohibited areas will be subject to a fine of 150 euro (approximately $225), and 300 euro (nearly $450) for each subsequent violation; whereas the owners of the premises where the violator is caught would have to pay a fine varying from 2000 euro ($3200) to 4000 ($5500) euro.

According to another provision of the ban, sales of tobacco products to adolescents less than 16 , with fines from 2000 euro to 4000 euro for those who would violate that provision.

The Macedonian Association of Restaurant Owners declared that its members would send an open letter to the government asking them to review the ban and amend it in accordance with current difficult economic situation.

The year of 2009 has been a witness of different smoking restriction across Europe, including the European Union member countries. The EU High Commissioner on Public Health declared that the governments of 27 member states should approve uniform anti-smoking legislation. In addition, several European countries banned public smoking or increased tobacco taxes:

This summer Greece implemented a ban on smoking in all enclosed public places. In August Turkey made headlines, when just a week after a countrywide smoking ban was implemented, a patron killed a bar owner who asked him to put out his cigarettes.

In addition, Norway, not a member of EU prohibited tobacco displays in public places, Switzerland’ canton Geneva also prohibited puffing, and several countries revealed their planes to introduce similar measures in 2010.

Several EU member-states, such as Bulgaria, neighboring Romania, Latvia and Lithuania increased their tobacco taxes to make them equal to average level across the European Union.

Croatia became the first ever European country to reverse its anti-smoking policy, to permit smoking in restaurants and bars, in case there is a separate smoking section covering 20 percent of the premise. The amendment was a agreement between Croatian bar owners and Ministry of Public Health.

But, these dramatic changes could not remain without any significant repercussions for both big tobacco and economy of those countries. Last month, British American Tobacco shuts down its manufacturing unit in Latvia, laying off 300 workers due to enormous taxes that destroyed the cigarette market in the country. And other tobacco companies are set to follow BAT steps.