Chefprefers BLOG

I can remember a time in the 80s when I was in my office, cramped with six people, and four were smoking at their desks. I took no notice because it was normal. The smell of cigarette smoke then was common indoors and out. Then, in late 1995, the local ACT government decided to ban smoking in bars and restaurants. The uproar at the time calls for accusing them of controlling our lives, big brother, that sort of thing. But if you walked around the streets of Canberra today, it would be rare to see anyone smoking indoors or outdoors. Indeed, the younger generation is getting the message: it’s not cool to smoke. Most smokers now vape, so the scent is different from burning tobacco. There’s a sweetness in the air, an unusual aroma, though something still feels off about it.

In Serbia, it’s still legal to smoke indoors—at theatres, shops, and restaurants—and believe me, you notice the difference immediately once you enter the country. A lot more people smoke there. The smell of smoke was everywhere we went, whether walking down the street or wandering through the park. Young or old, it didn’t matter. I’m not suggesting they ban smoking altogether, but it’s surprising what laws can achieve.