Smoking Ban in Syria

Syria
シリア

Syrian Arab Republic

(L) Grand Mosque of Damascus, Syria. (R) Shrine of Zaynab bint Ali at Damascus, Syria.

Syria, officially the Syrian Arab Republic, is a country in the western part of Asia, bordering the nations
of Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the west. It is located that Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east,
Jordan to the south, and Israel to the southwest sides.

Modern Syria was created as a French mandate and attained independence in April of 1946, as
a parliamentary republic. The post-independence period was rocky, and a large number of military coups
and coup attempts shook the country in the period1949-1970.

The capitol and the largest city is Damascus. Total population is estimated　about 22,000.000.

(L) Burjeslam, a well known beach just north of Latakia, well known city on the Mediterranean coast.
(R) Fattous, an example of Syrian cuisine. Syrian food mostly consists of Southern Mediterranean, Greek,
and Southwest Asian dishes.

(L) 100 Syrian pound note with Philip the Arab, a Roman Emperor from 244 to 249
(R) Syrian painting circa 1300.Although declining, Syria's handicraft industry still employs thousands.

Assad decrees Syria's smoking ban.

The president ,Bashar al-Assad has issued a decree banning smoking inside cafes, restaurants and other
public spaces in October 2009. The decree also outlaws smoking in educational institutions, health centres,
sports halls, cinemas and theatres and on public transport. Workers must not smoke during meetings and
businesses need to provide well-ventilated areas for smokers. The restrictions include the Turkish nargile,
or hubble-bubble pipe, which is a favorite among locals and tourists. The decree signed by President Bashar
al-Assad, a qualified medical doctor, imposes a 2,000 Syrian pounds ($46) fine on those who break the ban.
The government of Syria has passed several laws restricting smoking in the last two decades. A decree
in 1996 banned tobacco advertising while a 2006 law outlawed smoking on public transport and in some
public places, introducing fines for offenders.
Source: BBC News 12 October 12, 2009

　Smoking Ban and Tobacco Control in Turkey
　Smoking Ban and Tobacco Control in Syria
　Smoking Ban and Tobacco Control in Iran
　Smoking Ban and Tobacco Control in Greece

Syrian soldier aims China made AK47 assault rifle from his position in a foxhole during a firepower demonstration,
part of Operation Desert Shield. The soldier is wearing a Soviet-made nuclear-biological-chemical warfare masks.

As of November 2011, Syria was sliding close to civil war as the Free Syrian Army, composed of
defected military personnel, began to go on the offensive against the Army forces loyal to Assad,
leading to deadly battles across Syria.

シリア・アラブ共和国、通称シリアは、中東、西アジアの共和制国家。北にトルコ、東にイラク、南にヨルダン、
西にレバノン、南西にイスラエルと国境を接し、北西は地中海に接する。首都はダマスカス。筆者は1960年に
ワシントンDCのメディカルセンター勤務中にシリアから渡米してきた友人たちと市内で筆者にとって始めて、
小さなカップに注がれた濃厚なエジプトコーヒーを味わったこと、冬の寒い日にニューヨーク、マンハッタン
までドライブし観光したことなど、とてもフレンドリーなシリア人医師との交流を今でも忘れることは出来ない。

シリアでは2006年に一部の公共的空間の全面禁煙を施行したが、2009年10月にアサド、シリア大統領はに
レストラン、カフェ、教育機関、医療機関、スポーツ施設、映画館、劇場および公共交通機関での全面禁煙
規制を公布した。喫煙室は認められたようだが、水タバコも規制の対象となった。違反には2,000シリアポンド
(約46ドル）の罰金が科せられる。

シリア
2009年11月執筆　 2011年12月英文加筆
医学博士　　宮本順伯
★サイトへのリンクは自由
The article was written in November 2009, and information was added in December 2011,
by Dr. Junhaku Miyamoto.