Two years after Italy adopted a tough new anti-smoking law, Health Minister Livia Turco has unveiled a new campaign against smoking.
Once approved, the government's plan will offer incentives to companies which offer programs to help their employees kick the habit, slap heftier fines on those who continue to smoke at their work place and offer tax deductions on the purchase of anti-smoking products and the cost of anti-smoking treatment centers.
Turco will also work out a program with Education Minister Giuseppe Fioroni to inform students on the dangers of smoking, especially when someone starts young.
According to the Turin daily La Stampa, the health minister is considering hiking to 18 the minimum age for purchasing tobacco products.
Italy's tough anti-smoking legislation took effect on January 10 2005 and was designed primarily to protect nonsmokers from the dangers of passive smoking
It has virtually ended all smoking in cafés, restaurants, bars, pubs and clubs. Any establishment wishing to cater to smokers must set up separate rooms with automatically closing doors and smoke extractors, although few have done so. Smoking is banned from all work places too.
According to figures presented by the Health Ministry, 90% of Italians are in favour of the ban and 87.3% say it is well respected.
The latest data from national statistics bureau ISTAT shows there are now just over 11 million smokers in Italy, 22% of the population over the age of 14.
In 1980 over a third of the adult population (34.9%) smoked.
