The after effects of the smoking ban

April 20, 2005 · Filed Under Italy, Milan, People · 2 Comments

As some of you may know, Italy introduced a new law which effectively bans people from smoking in bars and restaurants. I say effectively because it is possible to circumvent the effects of the ban by equipping bars and restaurants with well ventilated smokers zones, but this is just not practicable for the vast majority of bars and restaurants here in the living museum. Why? Simple, because most of these places have only one main room which means that an outright ban is the only real solution. Even for those establishments which can boast more than one room, the cost of installing all the ventilation gear necessary would be prohibitive and not really a justifiable expense seeing as the number of smokers is beginning to dwindle.

So, what of these ‘after effects’ which I mention in the title of this entry? Well, I am aware of at least one place which is on the brink of failure, due to the change in the law. This place, which is a smallish ‘trattoria’ - that is a cheap to medium quality restaurant, thrived on a very particular type of clientele. This group of people were invariably retired, ex-tradesmen types who enjoyed nothing more than wiling away the afternoon eating, downing large amounts of read wine, playing cards and smoking innumerable cigarettes. With the ban, these people disappeared overnight and the profits of this place fell so low that now they are considering calling it a day and moving on to do something more lucrative instead. One does wonder where all these particular smokers have gone. I sort of have visions of a ’smoke easy’ which would be located down some quiet and anonymous alleyway and would only open its steel covered door to those who knew the password or the owner.

Other effects of the ban are that you know see small gaggles of people hovering around the entrances to most bars, pubs and restaurants smoking their little hearts out, come rain or shine. Now, even though I am a smoker, I do welcome this ban. It does make spending an evening out with small children much more likely for one thing. I believe that in general most places should see an increase in income, because all those non-smokers who wanted to check out that nice little eatery just down the road will do so, now that they don’t have to fear tucking in to their meals while sitting next to mister chain smoker. Plus, it is possible that those eating out will be tempted to spend longer in their chosen spot, maybe ordering a pudding and one or two other bits and pieces, because they do not have to worry about an ever thickening blue haze.

It is also possible that many smokers will give up their damaging habit just because of the hassle of having to abandon your friends for a quick ciggie. That’s not to mention the fact that the government here are increasing the price of ‘cancer sticks’ on what seems to be an almost monthly basis. I, alas, am one of those terrible smokers who is always thinking about giving up, but never quite gets round to doing it. I don’t even get that much real pleasure from smoking, it’s just that I quite like the mini-break the act creates and it also enables me to sit back for a minute or two and collect my thoughts. If somebody gets round to producing completely innocuous cigarettes, then I don’t think I would even be thinking about giving up.

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Tags: Italy

New Pope and other more pressing issues

April 20, 2005 · Filed Under Uncategorized · Comment

Yep, as you may well know by now there is now a new German Pope. The election of this new guy must have brought most businesses, and public offices in Rome to a complete and utter standstill as thousands of Romans and other associated cohorts descended on St Peters to catch a glimpse of the new guy. People obviously had nothing else to do, or rather this seemed like one hell of an excuse to escape from the day to day drudgery which many call work.

OK, so it’s a historic occasion and all that, but life goes on with or without a Pope. And the effect that the late Pope had on my life was zilch, with a capital ‘Z’.

Anyway both my rumour inspired predictions as to who was going to get the job, turned out to be totally wrong. So I apologise if you actually went and put money on who was going to the next boss of Vatican city. Betting, though, has always been a bit of a losers game, so if you did bet, and lose, well, nothing new there then.

Now what turn me into an undisputed believer would be some all powerful, all seeing and omniscient being doing something to sort out my poor little son, who is back in hospital, seeing as the eighth, I think it is, (I’m starting to lose count) occurrence of swollen eye has even got the doctors worried. So much so that they called us and basically said ‘Get the kid in hospital asap’. We have done. My other half is doing the night shift with the poor little chap who is on the receiving end of yet more ‘tests’ (sticking pins all over the place, prodding and poking) in yet another attempt to try to understand just what is causing his left eye to swell up virtually every five minutes, despite having been subjected to regular ‘nose washes’ amongst other things. So much for the miracles of modern science in this particular case. I’m getting worried for the poor little fellow, who is now getting to the age where he is able to understand that something is up and is starting to become frightened about it.

So if any all powerful super beings happen to be reading this humble little blog, could you please dump the ‘moving in mysterious ways’ system and do something productive to help my little son, and all suffering children for that matter? It would make me and many others very happy. Go on. Be divine.

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