Hi all,
I just got this sent via the economist city briefing for Zurich:
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| Zurich’s Lung Association is working to ban smoking in the city’s restaurants. The group is organising a public petition, and if 4,000 people sign it, the cantonal government will be obliged to call a referendum. Otto Brändli, the health charity’s president, announced the petition two days after the canton of Ticino became the first Swiss regional authority to ban smoking in all public buildings. Mr Brändli says an existing motion slowly making its way through Zurich’s cantonal parliament does not go far enough as it only calls for “a greater protection of non-smokers in middle- and large-sized restaurants.”
Switzerland has some of the most lax smoking restrictions in Europe, and its proportion of smokers—around 31%—is one of the highest in the continent, according to a 2004 study. But perceptions of Switzerland as a “smokers’ paradise” could soon change. Several cantons are considering following Ticino’s example, while Felix Gutzwiller, a Zurich politician, is pressing for a vote on the ban in the national parliament. Smoking will also be banned on all major public-transport networks from December 11th.
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Well I was surprised. Isn't that great how democracy works? Well I'll be one of the first to line up and sign that petition, but I doubt this form of democracy will be available to smelly, tax-paying foreigners. But at least if you think this is a good idea you can try and convince your Swiss friends to sign it.
I visited
http://www.lungenliga-zh.ch/ and found an announcement on their website that it isn't ready yet, but you can send them an email if you are interested. Surely 4,000 signatures can't be that hard to get??
If anyone else has any news - please post it!
Mark