Anti-smoking chief lights up in casino
3rd January, 2008
The head of a Portuguese governmental committee which voted to ban smoking in public red-faced after he was caught lighting up in a casino.
Diario de Noticias smoked a cigar in a casino just hours after the ban was enforced on New Year's Eve.
Mr De Noticias, who is president of the Portuguese Food Standards Agency, was snapped at a casino just outside Lisbon with a cigar in his mouth.
He claims that while he was aware that the rules applied to cafes, bars and restaurants he did not realise it also covered casinos.
"We will have to look into what is in the law," he told a local newspaper.
A spokesman for the Ministry of Health in Portugal confirmed to Reuters that the smoking ban did include casinos.
Portugal joins Colorado in the US in imposing a smoking ban on casinos from January 1st – a decision which has received mixed view from gambling enthusiasts.
