Smoking restricted in Cambodia

Cambodia’s Council of Ministers on Friday approved a sub-decree prohibiting ‘smoking or tobacco usage’ in enclosed public places and putting in place fines for offending individuals and businesses, according to a story in The Phnom Penh Post.

The sub-decree, which comes 11 months after the law on tobacco control was passed by the National Assembly, bans the consumption of tobacco products in the workplace and public places such as restaurants, hotels and public transport.

Individuals found violating the ban will face a fine of 20,000 riel (US$5), while establishments will face fines of up to 50,000 riel ($12.50) if they fail to put up no smoking signs or are caught providing customers with ashtrays.

Dr. Yel Daravuth, who helped draft the tobacco law and is a technical officer at the World Health Organization (WHO) Cambodia, said the ban specifically applied to enclosed places that could be accessed by the public. Smokers could continue to smoke on the streets.

The government, he said, would release another directive soon detailing how the ban would be implemented and enforced.

Health inspectors would be employed to conduct random checks to ensure compliance, but the onus would be on the owners of establishments open to the public to inform their customers of the smoking ban.

According to World Health Organization figures, there are close to two million tobacco users in Cambodia, of which 1.5 million smoke cigarettes and the rest use chewing tobacco.