Gasping for a gasper

I am not sure what kind of terrorism the prime minister had in mind. Suicide bombers are all the rage at the moment; do they ignite themselves by lighting a cigarette? There are, apparently, more sophisticated methods, such as dialing a mobile phone number or PIN code, so the Zippo would seem to be so last century. I have addressed this topic before and will only remind you that the concept of tobacco consumption was introduced to England by Sir Francis Drake – alleged to be Queen Elizabeth I's lover – with no knowledge of the disastrous and addictive nature of the essential ingredient, nicotine, named after the French ambassador to Portugal, Jean Nicot de Villemain, who promoted the medicinal use of nicotine, sending tobacco and seeds to Paris in 1560.

The Today's Zaman article went on to say: “ In modern times, Erdoğan is the driving force behind the next phase of a widely popular ban taking effect on July 19, which aims to curb the habit in a country where 22 million people, including around half the adult male population, smoke. But during a time of economic crisis, the prohibition -- adding restaurants, cafes and bars to the places where smoking is banned -- is viewed by a minority as a potential assault on their culture.”

Indeed, the potentially disastrous effect on the pub and restaurant trade is being cited as a consequence of the completion of the public smoking ban that began with the workplace, government buildings, educational institutions, etc. and which now extends, more or less, to any public place. Indeed, as I mentioned previously, I was astonished to find when I had wanted to light up in Inverness that in England, smoking was even banned from station platforms. A spokesman for Turkey's leading brewer, Efes, in the same article, said: “Semih Mavis, who heads the Turkish operations of Efes Beer Group, the country's largest brewer, said the restrictions boost the likelihood Turkey will be perceived as a country of ‘prohibitive interventions' in people's lifestyles and entertainment.” Efes has cause for concern. Just before I left Istanbul, almost the entire center of Kadikoy's famous fish market had been colonized by the nation's major brewery, thus giving them absolute monopoly on all bars and restaurants in the district. You want a drink in Istanbul; it has to be Efes. Likewise in Stoke Newington in northeast London, otherwise known as “Little Istanbul.”

The article in Today's Zaman goes further by quoting sources who suggest that the smoking ban is part of a wider, insidious plot to Islamize the country by working towards a ban on alcohol sale and consumption as well. This is seemingly true due to new legislation banning the advertising of alcohol linked to food consumption. “I think we have been heading towards a camouflaged alcohol ban," said Tahir Berrakkarasu, who heads the BEYDER association, which represents cafes, bars and restaurants in Istanbul's bustling Beyoğlu district, the heart of the country's nightlife. "Why is this happening? It means that alcohol is not wanted in this country," he said, referring to what, he says, is a six year government campaign targeting bars with a stream of taxes and bureaucratic obstacles.

The advertising restrictions on alcohol that take effect this month ban linking alcohol to food and cultural values; drink producers say this will severely curb their marketing ability.

Crocodile tears, you might say. Maybe. Closer inspection, however, reveals that banning the advertising of alcohol in general is not a uniquely Turkish or “Islamist” issue. European legislation has banned all advertising of alcohol on TV and especially in relation to sporting events, formerly a major showcase of the industry's marketing mix. And even the most dedicated secularist-conspiracy theorist could not uphold the view that Europe wants to be an alcohol-free zone.

There are, nevertheless, some concerns for the bar/restaurant industry. In England, figures released yesterday reveal that currently, 40 pubs and nine bars are closing weekly – an average of seven a day. Jobs lost stand at around 20,000 at the time of writing. The British Beer and Pub Association cites the economic depression as a major factor but also the ban on smoking, new licensing laws and the increase in tax on gas prices. It is by far cheaper to buy a six-pack of beer or a liter of wine from a supermarket than treat your friends or colleagues to a round at your local pub, if there is one still open near you.

Smoking bans, tax hikes and licensing laws aside, however, all is not quite so “doom and gloom” as industry insiders would have us believe. So-called “gastropubs” are on the rise because they offer more than a local boozer to get plastered in. The anti-smoking ban has actually created a whole new market, as witnessed not only in Britain but also in Ireland, France and Germany, where anti-smoking legislation has been enforced for some time now. Families now feel more comfortable going out to eat and drink together knowing that their lives, and those of their offspring, will not be jeopardized by the air they breathe, even if it may be at risk from the menu.

Statistics in Turkey and, indeed, across Europe show that around 100,000 people die each year from smoking-related diseases. Tea and coffee houses, traditionally the preserve of the Turkish male, suggest that smoking is enjoyed by around 80 percent of the clientele. This would mean that some 5 million men worldwide are dying for and from cigarettes. Recent TV advertising in Europe is now targeting so-called “passive” smokers with tear-jerking images of children begging their parents not to smoke in the car or at home. Indeed, there are rumors that EU governments are favorably eyeing an absolute prohibition on smoking anywhere indoors; that would mean, of course, at home and in the car. Offices, shops, government buildings, schools, stations, buses, mini-buses, taxis, trams and trains, no smoking. Pubs, bars, restaurants, resting places and rabbit hutches, no smoking. (Ok, I made the last one up, but, hey, you get my drift.)

I have been trying to quit smoking for years, but the ridiculously cheap prices of generic Turkish cigarettes made it very hard, along with the “cafe culture” of a ciggy with a coffee, a smoke with a scotch. Here in Britain my decision has been made for me on two fronts: the almost global ban on smoking and the stratospherically high taxes on alcohol and tobacco. I can no longer afford to smoke and drink. Something had to give, and it was the weed that withered. There remains only one last vice of mine left, which is the occasional pint or bottle of wine, but I suspect even those days are numbered.