Ban on public smoking leaves stressed out Iraqis crying foul

Baghdad: This is a country of frazzled nerves and nicotine, where deals are struck and conspiracy theories hatched in the smokiest of rooms.

So why in the world, Iraqis demanded on Thursday, would the government introduce a plan to ban smoking in public?

Smoking is widespread in the region, and few countries have taken steps toward a ban. Jordan and Israel prohibit smoking in public places, and Qatar has a loosely enforced ban on indoor smoking in public.

But a bill being presented to the Iraqi parliament by Prime Minister Nouri Al Maliki's Cabinet would rewrite rules in a way that many Iraqis who were interviewed described as inconceivable, by banning smoking in government buildings and public areas.

"We have no electricity, no jobs, people still get killed," said Waleed Habba, 49, as he bought a pack of cigarettes at a tobacco store. "We all have to deal with anger issues here. That's the reason people smoke here, to run away from that."

"We want Saddam back," said Ala Al Kanini, a patron at the store, referring to the late Iraqi leader. "You could do anything during Saddam's time."

The proposal appears to reflect the government's desire to shake off Iraq's image as a battle-ravaged, lawless country as it seeks to woo foreign investors and latch onto the global economy after decades of isolation.

Aside from the smoking ban, Iraqi officials are weighing initiatives to regulate the internet and satellite television channels to ban pornography and prohibit or more tightly regulate alcohol sales.

"The purpose of the law is to protect Iraqi citizens from the dangers of smoking," the government spokesman, Ali Al Dabbagh, said in a statement.

Smoking in Iraq is pervasive. People chain-smoke in government buildings, hospitals, cafes and restaurants. It is rare to meet with an Iraqi government official who doesn't smoke.