Non-smokers group calls for completely smoke-free bars, restaurants

Non-smokers' interest group Clean Air Nederland (CAN) is filing a lawsuit on Thursday in an effort to completely ban smoking in the hospitality industry, including bars, restaurants and hotels, ANP reports.

According to the group, the air outside smoking areas also contains carcinogenic smoke particulate matter that is harmful to public health

CAN believes that the presence of smoking areas is completely against agreements the Netherlands made with the World Health Organization (WHO) to actively fight tobacco use and protect people from tobacco smoke. "The prescribed measures require a 100 percent smoking ban", the organization said.

The organization also refers to a Supreme Court judgement in October 2014 which stated that smoking is not allowed in the hospitality industry.