Custom Search

Minister Says Geneva Smoking Reprieve Could Last Until 2011

Category: Medico Legal News RSS
Friday, October 03, 2008 at 1:33:36 PM
Bookmark and Share     Font Size 
 Minister Says Geneva Smoking Reprieve Could Last Until 2011 - Medindia
Bookmark and Share   Print this page Print   Comments Comments  
A smoking ban overturned by a federal tribunal may be reinstated only in 2011, according to the health minister for Switzerland's Geneva canton.

Switzerland's highest court overturned a three-month-old ban on smoking in public places in Geneva on Tuesday, saying the move failed to follow proper procedures.

As a result, smokers have been lighting up in restaurants and bars since Tuesday night; despite smoking being prohibited since July 1.


On Wednesday, Pierre-Francois Unger, the man behind the initial legislative push, said "the battle has been lost, not the war."

Unger said it could take up to three years to reverse the ruling and restore the ban.

The Federal Tribunal ruled that the ban should not have been passed by the canton's parliamentarians before the state's government enacted legislation, and that it therefore had no legal basis.

Geneva's state government had used a popular vote as grounds for pushing through a canton-wide smoking ban in public places on July 1.

But according to procedures, a draft of the law should first have been passed by the state's parliamentarians.

The judgement, which disputes only the procedure leading to the ban and not the essence of the ban itself, takes immediate effect, meaning patrons can once again light up in restaurants and bars.

To re-enact the ban, Geneva's canton authorities will need its parliamentarians to adopt a draft regulation which could in turn be subject to a referendum.
Page 1 Page 1 | 2  Next
 Email Email   RSS Feeds RSS Feeds   Print this page Print   Save this page Save   Link Link   Syndicate Syndicate   Comments Comments   Bookmark and Share
 
Comment & Contribute
Be the first to comment
* Your comment can be maximum of 2500 characters
Notify me when reply is posted   

Related Links

Medindia Health Network

Tweet this page Share this page
500 + Health news categories
Latest Health News From Leading Resources
Updated every 30 minutes
CHOOSE YOUR NEWS
News Archive
Date :
Category :
Keyword :
Medindia on Facebook
Feedback  Advanced Search
Last Updated - - Designed & Content Managed by Medindia Health Network Pvt Ltd. Hosted & Technical Support by FrontPoint Systems
DisclaimerThe contents of this site are for informational purposes only. Always seek the advice of a qualified physician for any doubts.
To Read full Disclaimer Click Here!
Best viewed with resolution 1024x768 px.
Advertise with us |  Medindia Copyright |  Privacy Policy | Terms of Use |  © All Rights Reserved 1997 - 2009