France is about 18 months into it's non-smoking bar/restaurant program and as a non-smoker it looks like they have found a good middle ground. The inside of bars and restaurants are non-smoking and many cafes have created "temporary" enclosed areas outside where smokers can smoke during the cold months. It doesn't really get that cold here which may explain why it seems to work. The areas are enclosed and heated (many provide blankets as well) which may be bad for the environment - those outside gas heaters aren't great - but everyone is accommodated. Smaller cafes do suffer though because it's not always possible to have a protected outside area though they still are pulling in customers from what I can see. When I was down in Barcelona last year I also noticed there were a handful of of bars that were listed as smokers bars.
I know this issue gets everyone on both sides excited (myself included) and I can appreciate the arguments made by everyone. Again, as a non-smoker I find the above two examples pretty good since everyone still has options but am curious if smokers see it the same way or not. Am I viewing this "success" as a success because I don't smoke and the reality for smokers is the opposite? Are there other models out there that work better for both sides? I'm interested in what, if any, models work for everyone.
Onto the news of the new CDC director. Whatever he did in NY, I doubt he will come be able to do same in his new job. Washington Post:
On Sunday, he heads to Atlanta. And on Monday he takes over the federal government's top public health agency, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention - where he's going to have to try a different approach.
At the CDC, the 48-year-old physician will command a larger agency, but one with few regulatory powers and more political headaches. Any campaigns against smoking, obesity and other health dangers will have to be won more with carrots than sticks, public health experts say.
"He can't walk across the hall and find a sympathetic mayor and get stuff through. It's a different playing field," said Dr. Jeff Koplan, a former CDC director who fell out of favor with the Bush administration.
