Offending smokers will be penalized starting Monday

Law no. 174 will be applied starting Monday bringing smoking in closed public places to a halt.       

In this context, a preparatory meeting was held between Interior Minister Marwan Charbel, Economy Minister Nkoula Nahas and the Security Commanders. During the meeting, Charbel said that this law will not affect the tourism sector and exposed statics that prove his point.      

“Smokers cost the Lebanese State 53 billion LBP each year due to the diseases caused by smoking,” Charbel added.       

Charbel also stated that in case the law is violated, smokers will have to pay expensive fines. The smallest fines will cost the smoker 670,000 LBP and in case the violations are repetitive, the warrant could balloon up to 2,000,000 LBP.        

The Interior Minister stressed that restaurant owners are the first to be blamed and will have to pay the biggest price. “The fine may be doubled or even tripled”, he said. Charbel stressed that if violations are repeated two or three times, the owner may have to face a prison sentence.              

Meeting’s participants announced that in the next couple of days, Tourism Police will coordinate with all security apparatuses to determine their distribution mechanism across Lebanon as well as the measures that should be taken.