How is smoking prohibition in the Netherlands now? I mean in public spaces like the Ahoy stadium?

Question

I heard that there was this european law that prohibited smoking in closed spaces of public places? I ask as I was thinking of going to a concert in the Ahoy stadium in Rotterdam, so I wanted to know. Can people smoke during the show and/or during the breaks? I have seen people smoking already in previous concerts in the Arena during the show, but it was some time ago. How is it now? Does anybody know? Thanks!

Answer 1

Although there is a ban on smoking in public places (particularly "places of work") this is not enforced and very rarely will you even find non-smoking sections in a restaurant. In my office they built an enclosed smoking room - the CEO and a high % of people there smoked but there was a vocal majority of non-smokers... Chances are the only places that are truly smoke free are because the owner is a non-smoker.

BTW. There is no "European ban". It's done on a country by country basis. Scotland & Ireland (and i think they are even trying in France) are a few of the countries that have successfuly implemented it. I wish it would come to HOlland but the argument is smoker's have rights too. Whatever.

In any case, you can smoke in Ahoy. People light up weed there too if they can get it in the door. They rarely check that carefully so you can smuggle it in. You can smoke pretty much anywhere except maybe in a hospital or a reputable office space.

i wish they would ban smoking in restaurants. There is nothing more disgusting than 3 generations of white trash sitting around smoking like chimneys after a meal in a crowded restaurant.

Answer 2

Ahem, (un)fortunately smoking tobacco is now prohibited (and it's being enforced too!) in the Netherlands in all public buildings and public transport and also in the workplace. They haven't yet succeeded in making it illegal to smoke in bars, restaurants and night clubs and such, but they're working on that too... Smoking weed in public is also being worked on and is already illegal in many places in the country, coffeeshops are being outlawed at a very fast pace too... As far as Ahoy goes... I haven't been there in a long time; it's probably illegal to smoke there during a concert, but I don't think they would actually try to stop people from smoking there, although I could be wrong. I can't find any info on their website... www.ahoy.nl


(edit) to DIDI, you should try lighting up a cigarette in a railway station, post office or any workplace with more than 50 employees and see how fast you're told to extinguish it, just for fun, and hope you don't get a fine while trying...

Answer 3

When we suddenly prohibit legal behavior such as drinking or smoking and do not provide for the long term addicts, we endorse criminal profiteering as Al Capone has proven. Smokers and beer drinkers pay more taxes than anyone else, and just what is going to happen to education when the smokers and drinkers rebel and decide as a large force to no longer support the yuppies and the US Government troglodytes? Why in the Hell should I work for $13 an hour and give $8 per hour to Berkeley, California School of Beemer Basket Weaving when I can provide cartons to Canadians and make more money than George Bush can spend on Iraq and my income would be tax-free? A ban drives up the sales value of any proscribed substance and there are quite a few folks in Colombia whom would agree as they take the CIA money and run to laugh darkly at the Smoke Nazis' expense. Seriously, question initiator, unless you think emphysema, ostracism and higher insurance premiums because you smoke are "Cool," you have more issues to resolve than I do this year. Stop smoking if you can and don't have a 50 year old habit to kick. I am an addict; still find it more economical and enjoyable to smoke despite the fact I have a progressive lung disease which is more a genetic ommission than the fault of "Big Tobacco," and my war cry has been, "Turn in your polluting auto for a bicycle and then we can talk about my 'emissions' as rational beings." My generation which produced Rosa Parks and Dr. Martin Luther King as well as "Moonday, July 1969" will be gone and forgotten by the time your kids enter First Grade in school. We defend our rights to continue to smoke because the anti-smokers call us nasty names rather than offer a comfortable method to solve our addiction; they are willing to do more for the illegal aliens whom steal our wallets and they take payments from tobacco lobbyists. Currently drunk drivers have more respect and rights than we smokers as illustrated by the mayor of Carson City, NV whom was busted but can afford a competent lawyer to conjure up "justice" as all politicians seem able to do in AD 2007.

Answer 4

Well I was in Amsterdam a couple months ago and you could smoke pretty much anywhere like always. I don't know what you mean by smoking prohibition. I live in Copenhagen and you can smoke pretty much anywhere. I would highly doubt that they would prohibit smoking during a concert in Holand, I don't think they would even prohibit smoking weed.

Answer 5

You can pretty much smoke anywhere. Now, if you are just walking on the street or in very public places and are smoking you might get a few stares from older people or from people with children but the best thing to do is just be respectful about it. (not sure if you are talking about tobacco or marijuana?)

Answer 6

You are allowed to smoke in Ahoy in special areas. At this moment you are not aloud to smoke at work, in trains, trainstations and public spaces such as cityhall....