July 16 (Reuters) - Turkey rolls out the next phase of a smoking ban on July 19, extending the prohibition to cafes, bars and restaurants as it aims to curb the habit in a country where 22 million people, half the adult male population, smoke.
Die-hard smokers in Cyprus will also be finally be hit when one of the last EU smoking havens imposes ban on puffing in public places. From Jan. 1, 2010 smoking will be prohibited in restaurants, bars, nightclubs and workplaces, with planned hefty fines for those caught.
Ireland imposed a nationwide ban on smoking in the workplace in 2004. U.S. states, including Florida and California, have had similar bans since 2003. In Nov. 2004, Bhutan became the first country to ban tobacco sales entirely.
Here are details on some other countries that have banned smoking in some form since 2008:
* 2008:
JANUARY:
-- France: Smoking in shops, offices and other public places has been banned since Feb. 2007, but a special exemption for bars and cafes was in place until Jan. 1, 2008.
-- Turkey: Passed a law to ban smoking in bars, cafes, restaurants and other public places to be implemented in full at least 18 months after the president signed it into law.
* FEBRUARY:
-- Thailand: From Feb. 17, Thailand extended its ban on smoking to air-conditioned bars and offices and outdoor markets.
* JULY:
-- Since Sept. 1, 2007, Germany has forbidden smoking in all federal buildings and on public transportation. A ban on smoking in bars in Germany's 16 federal states was challenged in court in July 2008. Most states are now adopting the guidelines established by the court, which allow for exceptions in drinking establishments too small to create a separate smoking area. Roughly one in three German adults smokes.
-- Netherlands: A smoking ban came into force in cafes, bars and restaurants. Cannabis-smoking is still allowed in the marijuana-selling coffee shops.
-- Switzerland: A ban on smoking in public places took effect on July 1. However, smokers in Geneva were given a reprieve on Sept. 30 after the top Swiss court struck down the ban, saying the local government had overstepped its powers.
* OCTOBER:
-- India: Banned smoking in public places on Oct. 2 in an attempt to fight tobacco use blamed, directly or indirectly, for a fifth of all deaths in the world's third-largest tobacco consumer. The ban, which includes all offices and restaurants, will hit its estimated 240 million tobacco users.
2009:
JANUARY:
-- Indonesia: The top Islamic body decided on Jan. 25, not to ban smoking for Muslims. However the Ulema Council, or MUI, issued a fatwa prohibiting smoking in public places or by pregnant women and children. Some cities in Indonesia, including Jakarta, have banned smoking in public, but rules are flouted.
MAY:
-- Croatia: Law on banning smoking in all public places came into effect on May 6 to displeasure of one million smokers.
-- Bulgaria: Lawmakers voted May 15 to ban smoking in public spaces from June 2010, ignoring protests from tobacco producers and the tourist industry. Smoking is already banned in hospitals, taxis and offices.
JULY:
-- Greece: Bans smoking in indoor public places from July 1.
-- Turkey extends ban to restaurants, cafes and bars.
-- Netherlands says it will suspend monitoring of small cafes with no personnel pending a planned outright smoking ban. (Writing by David Cutler, London Editorial Reference Unit; additional reporting by Catherine Hornby in Amsterdam; editing by Sara Ledwith)