More heavy fines for smoking and smokers
Recently, the municipalities and local councils have decided to introduce more heavy fines for all those who don’t respect the law concerning the smoking in public places. This decision will bring more money to the budget and consequently will diminish percentage of the rule breaking.
Restaurants, bars and all public places where smoking is prohibited will be attended by inspectors. The fines are for real very high. For example, if a certain restaurant allows people to smoke in its indoors, lacks the signs of “No smoking” and on the table will be presented few ashtrays, then in few minutes the proprietor of the place can hand out fines for some NIS 20,000.
So, the new fines are the following: if a person smokes in public place the fine for her\him is NIS 1,000. More than that: the owner of the premises ought to prevent the smoker that smoking is prohibited. If the client continues to ignore the prevention, the owner should inform the respective officials about the cause so that they can come and fine the offender.
If the owner doesn’t notify the authorities, he can be fined for NIS 5,000.For lacking the No Smoking signs, the owner will meet the same fine of NIS 5,000. Also, it were introduced fine of NIS 1,000 for a cigarette ashtray.
According to a published info, The Tel Aviv representatives “have claimed they can’t hire inspectors to enforce the law because they lack the budget, they have ignored that the new law allows them to pocket the fines and use them for municipal purposes that they don’t want to have problems.”
The new law and higher fines will definitely bring down the smoking rate, Amos Hausner, the chairman of Israel Council for the Prevention of Smoking says.
