Smoking ban leads to drop in cigarette sales in Italy

ROME, Feb 2 (AFP) - A new law banning smoking in public places in Italy has led to a drop in cigarette sales nationwide, an association representing tobacconists said Thursday.
"Overall, the drop in cigarette sales is estimated at 20 percent" as compared to the same period last year, a spokesman for the Italian association of tobacconists, Assotabaccai, told AFP.
"That amounts to a drop in sales of 370 euros (482 dollars) per tobacconist," the association said.
The ban on smoking in all public places such as bars, restaurants, discotheques and offices went into effect on January 10 as Italy joined a growing number of European countries imposing stricter restrictions on smokers.
The measure has been denounced by many restaurateurs although there has been no major public outcry.

02/03/2005 14:46 GMT - AFP