Turkish parliament makes "smoking like a Turk" a thing of the past

0 Comments | AFP, January, 2008

ANKARA (AFP) — Smoking is so widespread and deeply rooted in Turkey that even the French and the Italians -- no slouches themselves when it comes to lighting up -- have made "smoking like a Turk" their byword for chain smokers.

No more, says the Turkish Parliament, which has just joined many other countries in Europe by enacting a law that will ban smoking in bars, restaurants and cafes as of next year.

Fair enough, for a country negotiating its entry into the European Union. But can the law be effectively applied, many Turks wonder, in a country that is not only a great consumer, but also a producer of tobacco -- the fifth in the world.

"I am a smoker of the times -- of course I will abide by the new law because I know tobacco is bad for you," said...