Smoking in Italy has been banned in public places including bars, restaurants, discotheques and offices since 2005.[1] A majority of Italians supported the ban at the time it was first implemented,[1] but there was a lack of support from smokers and some bar owners,[2] and only 5% of bar and restaurant owners immediately introduced separate smoking rooms.[2] Italy was the 4th European country to introduce a smoking ban in public places.[3] However, on 1 August 2005 a judge ruled that business owners could not be punished for not enforcing the law,[3] which is mainly followed in northeastern Italy, and not followed at all in southern Italy.[3] Heart attacks in Italian adults dropped significantly following the implementation of the smoking ban;[4] the decline in heart attacks was attributed to less passive smoking.[5] Health Minister Girolamo Sirchia said that smoking was the leading preventable cause of death in Italy.[2] The ban caused an 8% decrease in cigarette consumption.[6]
Cultivation of tobacco is subject to Italy's government monopoly.[7]
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