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Czech Republic Hangs a ‘No Smoking’ Sign After Years of Debate

Cafe Sladkovsky in Prague on Tuesday. A Czech smoking ban took effect Wednesday.Credit...Katerina Sulova/CTK, via Associated Press

PRAGUE — A smoking ban in Czech bars, restaurants and cafes took effect Wednesday, putting to an end the Czech Republic’s status as one of the last havens for tobacco smokers in Europe.

The ban, which applies inside bars and restaurants as well as to public places like cinemas, theaters and sports stadiums, was approved by Parliament after years of heated debate and signed by President Milos Zeman, a chain smoker.

Unlike most of Europe, the Czech Republic had remained tolerant of smoking until now — and it was up to restaurant owners to decide whether to allow it in their establishments.

According to data from the European Union, 17 member states of the bloc have comprehensive smoke-free laws in place. But some, including Austria, Portugal and Romania, as well as Serbia, which is not a member of the European Union, have only partial bans on indoor smoking in restaurants and bars.

Other countries, like Greece — which has official bans that are widely flouted, even by government ministers — have problems with enforcement.

After the Czech move, Slovakia appeared to be the only European Union country left with no official ban in place inside bars.

The Czech Health Ministry said it estimated that 18,000 Czechs died from smoking-related illnesses every year and that 2,000 nonsmokers died because of exposure to secondhand smoke.

Starting Wednesday, which is World No Tobacco Day, violating the Czech ban would incur a fine of up to 5,000 koruna, or about $190.

Most Czechs approve of the ban, but a group of lawmakers has challenged it in court.

Jakub Storek, owner of the Cafe Liberal in Prague — a popular hangout among local smokers — said he opposed the ban.

“It’s hard to predict the impact at the moment,” Mr. Storek said. “But I guess it would be different clients coming here in the future.”

Stepan Ourecky, an 18-year-old student, said he would still come, but might light up outside the cafe.

“Or perhaps I will smoke less,” Mr. Ourecky said.

A version of this article appears in print on  , Section A, Page 10 of the New York edition with the headline: Czech Republic Posts ‘No Smoking’ Sign. Order Reprints | Today’s Paper | Subscribe

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