Last year Valvira carried out inspections of over 400 restaurants to check on how well strict smoking laws are being observed. It found that 95% were in compliance.
However, it was also found that in many restaurants notices of restrictions on smoking are deficient. In some, it was found that tobacco smoke enters the premises from outdoors smoking areas.
In addition to the inspections, the Welfare and Health Authority also surveyed the impact of smoking restrictions on business through sales figures and interviews with restaurateurs. According to the study that compared sales in 2007 and 2008 by restaurants licensed to sell alcohol, tougher smoking restrictions are no long having an effect.
A transitional phase during which restaurants have been permitted to construct separate smoking facilities ends in one week. After that, restaurants will be completely non-smoking or have an authorized smoking area shut off from non-smoking areas.
