Groningen bans smoking in public spaces

The city council of Groningen approved a proposal by the mayor and aldermen to ban smoking in public spaces around institutions that ask for such a ban. The city will be the first to set a public space smoking ban in the Netherlands, RTL Nieuws reports.

More than 30 institutions have already indicated they want a smoking ban around their buildings. One such is the University Medical Center Groningen. "The UMC is very eager to introduce the smoking ban", a spokesperson for alderman Mattias Gijsbertsen said to RTL. Schools, the university and a number of childcare facilities also want a smoking ban.

"The smoking ban in the public space on the streets prevents people who enter or leave the building from being bothered by smoke", the spokesperson said.