Government urged to relax smoking ban

The Association of Restaurant Owners in Lebanon has threatened to hold a sit-in protest tomorrow to pressure the government to relax the smoking ban in enclosed public places, according to a Daily Star story relayed by the TMA.

The ban, which includes coffee shops, restaurants and bars, took effect on September 3.

Toni al-Rami, secretary-general of the association, said restaurant revenues had declined by up to 80 per cent following the imposition of the ban.

The association is urging the government to amend the ban to allow smoking in pubs and nargileh cafes.