Smoking ban leaves Lebanese fuming

On a recent warm summer night in the heart of Beirut, a few dozen people gathered in a city square to attend a music concert launching a public awareness campaign. In a country that loves music – free concerts can often draw big crowds. But surprisingly few had turned out. Perhaps the unpopularity of the new public awareness campaign was the reason why.

On Monday, a ban on smoking in closed places like restaurants, cafes, pubs and night went into effect – leaving many smokers and business owners fuming. (Ironically, I caught a glimpse of one of the volunteers working for the “No-Smoking” campaign at the concert taking a break from the heat and loud music by doing what? Lighting up a cigarette just beside the stage.) In a country where smoking – and that means cigarettes, cigars and “nargilehs” (traditional flavored water pipes) – are part of the culture and lifestyle, many have denounced the ban on smoking as a colossal example of the government’s failure to tackle more pressing priorities in the country.

At the popular Grand Café, the aroma of water pipes filled the air. Few of the customers I spoke with are happy about the ban. “The government has a million problems; this is not the main one. Let them go collect the garbage on the streets and organize the traffic around the city,” said Ahmed, a 27-year-old smoker who just gave his first name.