希腊掀起反禁烟游行

A month after the Greek government banned smoking inside public places, about 80 bar owners in Athens shut their doors to protest the law on Thursday, claiming the anti-smoking law hurts business and violates people's rights. Owners and their supporters said they want the ban lifted. Bar owner Dimitris Arvanitis.

"Profits are already down, and after looking at studies in other countries and other research in countries where the ban was implemented, they have a drop in revenues of 40%."

The law went into effect on September 1st and imposes stiff fines on smokers who light up indoors. But despite fines of up to 10,000 euros for bar owners who allow smoking and up to 500 euros for smokers who break the law, the health ministry has said many Greeks are still smoking. About 40% of Greece's population of approximately 11 million people smoke.

Sarah Irwin, Reuters.