Denmark

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Denmark | Danmark

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TOBACCO AND NICOTINE USE IN THE EU

KONSUM VON TABAK UND NIKOTIN IN DER EU

The law in Denmark

Since 15 August 2007 the smoking is banned in all indoor public places, making it illegal to smoke in virtually all ‘enclosed’ and ‘substantially enclosed’ public places and workplaces.

There are some exceptions:

  • Smoking will be permitted in rooms in which only one person is working at any one time and where others are not exposed to passive smoking. An example of such rooms would be a one-person office or a truck driver’s cab.
  • Smoking will be permitted in designated areas (smoking cabins or rooms) which may not serve as a passageway or be used by staff in their daily work such as photocopying or storage rooms.

The law imposes an obligation on all employers to produce a written smoking policy and distribute it to all employees. The smoking policy must specify whether and, if so, where smoking is permitted and the consequences of non-compliance. The employer is responsible for enforcing the rules and any non-compliance will be punishable by a fine.

  • Whether smoking is allowed in hotel rooms used for sleeping depends on the hotel management.
  • Smoking is not allowed in taxis or in public means of transportation, on domestic flights, buses, S-trains, on board the trains going to Copenhagen Airport and on to Malmö, Sweden, and in many taxis. Smoking is still allowed in some areas of the intercity trains and the domestic ferries.
  • All restaurant, cafés and eating places are smoke-free, but owners may set up designated smoking rooms or smoking cabins, where there is no service. Employees or restaurants that violate the ban can be fined. First time offenders face a 2,000 kroner (€270) fine. The second time, the penalty is 5,000 kroner (€672;) and 10,000 kroner (€1,345) the third.
  • Smoking in bars and cafés with an alcohol license is allowed only if the area occupied by the premises is less than 40 square metres. Food as such must not be served, and tables and chairs must be available.

A new law takes effect on August 2008 making it illegal for young people under the age of 18 to purchase tobacco or to introduce tobacco to Denmark from abroad.