Many of you are missing the point. I am not asking for new laws... I'm just asking for the laws to be enforced, or rather, asking why they aren't when the majority of people don't smoke. Re asking someone to stop smoking in a café in Paris... I wouldn't have to. The laws are enforced there. Maybe some of you should stop being so reflexively defensive about this issue. I'm not asking anybody to change the laws, I'm asking for the laws to be enforced as they are in most civilized countries. Why should I be exposed to second hand smoke unnecessarily and have to have my meals fouled by the smell of smoke? And I'm not talking about bars, I'm talking about restaurants.
I once sat in a 3* restaurant in France and watched as a guy (dining solo) puffed on his cigarette, smelled his soup, wafted both the smoke and (assumedly) the scent of the soup towards his face, tasted his soup, then took another puff. And this in a place that was at the time (like 15 years ago, before the ban) charging around $150-$200 per person. What a waste. To each his own, chacun à son goût, but seriously, he was a bit ridiculous but BTW, personal freedom has limits, i.e. please don't interfere with MY enjoyment of MY food that I'm spending good money on.
All of my local friends born on the island (without exception) are bothered by the smoke and have agreed with me that the laws need to be enforced. I've been out to dinner with Rosita, JP, Ellen, Rosemond, Marie-Flore, Arnaud, etc. several times, when one or the other of them has gotten into very heated confrontations with smokers as well as with servers for not enforcing the ban. This is not a tourist vs. local issue. It's a health issue, it's a consideration issue (especially since smokers are in the minority), it's a customer service issue, it's a food enjoyment issue. It's not just my issue, a whole lot of people agree with me, not just the ones who have commented here... I've received emails and had multiple conversations on and off island about this.
p.s. - Eve, I have no idea what the hell your comment means, it makes no sense but whatever. And Bart, where's 2014... as I mentioned, I saw a real decline this year. Not that it has anything to do with smoking or the quality of the food, I just noted a lot less people in the streets and in the restaurants and in the shops, and Anguilla during the very same time period was packed. And Katva, as I recall you smoke so are probably a bit biased on this issue.
Ok, I'm done here, you guys can fight for the last word. Peace out.