AMMAN - The Jordan Restaurants Association (JRA) is still studying the feasibility of implementing the Public Health Law which bans smoking in public places, a JRA official said on Saturday.
"We cannot implement the law immediately since this might negatively affect the industry," JRA Deputy President Essam Fakhreldin told The Jordan Times, adding that a study should be conducted on the impact of the law before implementing it.
"We will assign a third party to conduct a study on customers' readiness to accept the ban. Each country is unique and has its own culture. The success of this law in Europe does not mean the same result will be achieved in Jordan," Fakhreldin explained.
The Ministry of Health last month issued a circular banning smoking in shopping malls starting March 1, while enforcing the law in restaurants has been postponed until June to give them enough time to study the implementation mechanisms.
"Applying the law in restaurants is complicated since some of them are licensed to serve argileh," Fakhreldin noted, adding that the process might take more time.
"We do not want to shock customers with the decision. We will wait until the study is completed and decide on the mechanism to be adopted," he added.
Meanwhile, sector representatives met with Health Ministry officials on Thursday to discuss several issues related to the law and the impact of its enforcement on restaurants.
The Public Health Law was amended last year to prohibit smoking in public and private institutions and all public facilities.
The ban includes hospitals, healthcare centres, schools, cinemas, theatres, libraries, museums, public and nongovernmental buildings, public transport vehicles, airports, closed playgrounds, lecture halls and any other location to be determined by the health minister.
By Khetam Malkawi
© Jordan Times 2009
