France banned smoking in all of its bars, cafes and restaurants on the 1st of January this year, this followed a wider public smoking ban introduced on 1st February 2007. It will be interesting to follow the effects of the ban, also implemented in Berlin at the same time.

In another part of the world Hong Kong now reports an actual INCREASE in smoking activity since they banned smoking over a year ago, with 12 million more cigarettes a month being sold in the territory.

"I think the smoking ban can prevent second-hand smoke in public places.. but to motivate people to quit, the government still has a long way to go," medical sector legislator Kwok Ka-ki was quoted as saying by the South China Morning Post.

Hong Kong with its seven million residents now has a ban in place in all public places, giving exemption to qualified establishments.

Six types of "qualified establishments" - nightclubs, commercial bathhouses, massage establishments, mahjong parlours, designated mahjong rooms in clubs and certain bars, do not have to implement the ban until  July 1, 2009.

Government reports published recently show HK has 840,000 smokers, but anti-smoking campaigners are not impressed with the exemptions.. "The price of cigarettes and tobacco has not increased for seven years," fumes Anthony Hedley, an anti-smoking campaigner with the University of Hong Kong.