Tobacco sellers protest ban on smoking in cafes скачать в хорошем качестве

Tobacco sellers protest ban on smoking in cafes

(21 Nov 2007) 1. Various of tobacconists marching with banners 2. SOUNDBITE: (French) Jean-Claude Lacomme, Vice-President of the Federation of Tobacconists: "We fear that from January 1st a lot of people who usually come in the morning to have their coffee and smoke a cigarette won't come anymore. It is not the cigarette that we would miss but the coffee and the rest. So it is about 25 to 30 percent of our economy which we risk to loose. That is why we are fighting today." 3. Demonstrators marching, playing bag pipes 4. Various of protesters with banners 5. Gerard Duriez, Tobacconist from Saint-Nazaire, Brittany lighting a cigarette 6. SOUNDBITE: (French) Gerard Duriez, tobacconist from Saint-Nazaire, Brittany: "We want to be allowed to adapt our premises, because some of them are not able to receive smokers because of the size. That will led to the death of certain businesses. We already lost 3 to 4 thousand since 2003." 7. Wide of march 8. Band playing music in front of protest 9. Close up of back of demonstrators orange jackets reading "Proud to be tobacconist" 10. Pan from musicians leading demonstration to protestors STORYLINE: Around 10 thousand people, mainly tobacconists, marched through Paris on Wednesday to protest against the anti-smoking ban that will take effect on January 1st 2008 and will forbid smoking in cafes, restaurants, bars and night-clubs. The tobacconists say the ban will deal a mortal blow to their businesses. Jean-Claude Lacomme, Vice-President of the Federation of Tobacconists, who joined the protest said tobacconists feared that the death of cigarette smoking in their cafe tabacs - which sell tobacco - and 'traditionally' enjoyed with a coffee would hit businesses hard. "It is not the cigarette that we would miss but the coffee and the rest. So it is about 25 to 30 percent of our economy which we risk to loose. That is why we are fighting today," he said. The demonstrators are calling for a modification of the decree banning smoking in all cafes, restaurants and nightclubs at the start of 2008 so they can set up smoking rooms in their establishments with ventilation. About 10,000 protesters wearing Day-Glo vests marched from the Montparnasse train station to the National Assembly, the lower chamber of parliament, to press lawmakers to make the anti-smoking measure more flexible. The demonstration was one of a handful of protests this month, including crippling rail strikes, against reforms by French President Nicolas Sarkozy aimed at modernising France. However, the smoking ban was adopted before Sarkozy took office in May. The tobacconists, joined by members of cigar clubs and teahouse owners, some as far away as Saint-Nazaire, Brittany, insist the changes they are seeking would respect the spirit of the decree. "We want to be allowed to adapt our premises, because some of them are not able to receive smokers because of the size. That will led to the death of certain businesses. We already lost 3 to 4 thousand since 2003," said Gerard Duriez. Rene Le Pape, president of the Confederation of Tobacco Sellers, came away from a meeting on Tuesday with Health Minister Roselyne Bachelot disappointed and angry, saying there was a "total blockage." Those opposed to the ban also fear for the survival of cafes in rural areas, often the only community gathering spot. French authorities have been trying to wean the nation off cigarettes for years. A February the first ban on lighting up in workplaces, schools, airports, hospitals and other "closed and covered" public places like train stations forced France's smokers outdoors, but not out of cafes. Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork Twitter:   / ap_archive   Facebook:   / aparchives   ​​ Instagram:   / apnews   You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/you...