Smoking ban making slow progress

A ban on tobacco smoking in the Netherlands’ cafés, bars and clubs is now due to come into effect on January 1, not in October, as had been planned, according to an Expatica story quoting an RTL news report.

In fact, the original deadline for the introduction of the ban was July 1.

The delays are said to be due to the slow progress of legislation in the senate, or upper house of parliament.

The current restrictions on smoking include an exemption for small bars whose owners do not employ staff.

However, once the ban is introduced, or reintroduced, smoking will be permitted only in separate, sealed-off smoking areas without service.