Smokers stubbed out cigarettes indoors across Norway at midnight as the Nordic nation followed Ireland today to become the second in the world to outlaw smoking in all bars and restaurants.
Like Ireland, Norway is seeking to protect waiters and other restaurant and bar staff from second-hand smoke blamed for causing cancer, respiratory and heart diseases. Smoking is already outlawed in other workplaces, from offices to airports.
Norway put off the planned launch of its ban from January 1st, reckoning it would be unfair to force smokers into bone-chilling temperatures at the start of a new law. Smokers in Oslo spilled out into the streets on a warm summer night.
Some US states and cities, such as California and New York, have similar anti-smoking laws but Ireland was the first to impose a nationwide ban, on March 29th, with Norway second.
The World Health Organization says tobacco kills 4.9 million people worldwide every year, or one every 6.5 seconds.