Smoking while driving with a child invites heavy fine

People who smoke or use electronic cigarettes while driving a private vehicle with a child under the age of 12 inside will be fined 1,500 euros, according to a new circular issued by the Health Ministry.

The fine will be doubled to 3,000 euros if the vehicle in which the offense is committed is a truck or a taxi. The new rules also stipulate that offenders will have their driving licenses suspended for a month. Drivers will still be penalized even if another person in the vehicle commits the offense.

The enforcement of the rule and the fines will be undertaken by the police.

The circular comes as Greece has widely flouted a law issued in 2008 – after other past attempts had failed before – that forbids smoking in the workplace, taxis and ferries.

The law also prohibits smoking in all enclosed public places, such cafes, bars and restaurants.