Hmmm funny, smoking has been banned in all public places here in Norway , . No more smoking in bars, at clubs, in diners/restraunts, at work, in schools. offices . . name them
Before, there were diners with half the building for smokers and half for non-smokers. But for sake of "being social", people who are non smokers, will always join suit with the smokers. But now you have to walk outside whatever building you are in to smoke
I guess they banned it for different reasons:
1) For the non-smokers to stop inhailing it
Tests show that the smoke inhaled from someone else's carondioxide is twice or even thrice more dangerous that the one inhaled in by the smoker from the cigarette.
2) I guess to lessen the number of smokers (cigarettes and tobacco is one of the most expensive things here, yet its one of the most sold goods) I don't actually think they succeeded, they've not actually achieved this goal. The people don't mind the suffer, as long as they inhale some
3) And most important - the main reason behind the law
The workers and employees in these public places - at least your family member joining your table, had a say in it . . they could choose either to sit or not not to talk of the fact that they only inhale a few, but these workers are subdued against their will to inhale that of each smoker that enters the building

This one have been achieved thankGod, so the poor souls have control over their own health
