Smokin'

Found this story:

Central Norwegian county declares smoking to be a
basic human right

Wed Apr 14,12:20 PM ET


OSLO, Norway (AP) - A central Norwegian county has declared smoking
to be a basic human right in a dispute over a ban imposed on one town's
workers.

Levanger, a township of about 18,000 people, banned all smoking by
municipal employees during working hours on or off city property at the
beginning of the year. The ruling, which made national news
Wednesday, came after three opponents of the rule, all local council
members from the right-wing Party of Progress, asked the county
governor's office to assess the ban's legality.

In a letter to the city dated Tuesday, the county declared the ban invalid
because it violates the European Human Rights Convention.

It said the city can ban smoking on its property, but not, for example, if a
worker was driving his or her own car or was on private property.

The county cited a section of the convention that protects citizens'
private lives.

The letter said "a total ban on smoking during working hours is a
measure that is not reasonable in relation to the goal of the ban."

Birger Meinhardt and Steinar Holten, two of the politicians who lodged
the complaint, celebrated the ruling on the steps of the Levanger town
hall by lighting up the biggest cigars they could find.

"Just like before Jan. 1, 2004," Holten told the Troender-Avisa newspaper
as he puffed on the cigar.