Smoking in restaurants

For most of my life time, the dangers of smoking have been emphasized within schools, media, and family life. I have been taught that smoking cigarettes is one of the most disgusting and unhealthy habits one can participate in. Furthermore, smoking can not only harm the person who chooses to do it, but also those around them through second hand smoke. For this reason, laws have been passed in the USA as well as the Netherlands, banning cigarette smoking in restaurants and buildings.

Today, as we walked into a pub in Brno for lunch, I swore I could smell someone smoking cigarettes. As we sat down, I could feel my stomach churning and my lungs tighten; and then I saw it: an ash tray. “You can smoke in here?!?”, I asked excitedly. “I think so…” someone responded, pointing at a woman a few tables over who was puffing away on her fag.

I’m confused. Is smoking still a common leisurely activity in Central Europe? I thought the restaurant smoking ban was European? Even if it is not, why would a Czech pub choose to allow such an activity to take place within closed quarters? What is the point?

Again, this activity would be completely inappropriate in a restaurant in the USA or the Netherlands. In this day and age, most people would find it offensive if someone lit up a cigarette while they were eating. I do not understand why this is different in this area.