Greek governments have taken no *effective* action to educate the population or discourage smoking, just token advertisements and unenforced legislation. They are more interested in short term taxation from cigarettes and in supporting Greece’s tobacco industry than in preventing the inevitable avalanche of health costs as Greece’s aging population slowly sicken and die from smoke-related disease. There is no association between misery, death and cigarettes in Greece. Smoking is mandatory for young Greeks of either gender to feel “sexy”. BTW the aging effect of smoking on middle aged Greek womens’ skin is very obvious.

Cretans smoke freely almost anywhere without apparent sanctions, even in banks, schools and hospitals. There is no concept of passive smoking - children are exposed to thick blue smoke for long period (internet cafes are the worst offenders but it is everywhere). Official figures say 49 per cent of adults smoke - I assure the reader that is wildly underestimated. Very few adult Greeks do not smoke on Crete, but smoking levels are extremely high all over Greece.

Neither is there any concern about the negative reaction of the declining numbers of tourists from countries such as Norway, where smoking is regarded as unacceptable in restaurants. Americans, Canadians and Australians find the choke factor difficult to deal with in Greece; they are used to bans and high levels of awareness now for many years. Awareness is something Greece has not cultivated, deliberately it seems. I also believe politicians are afraid of repercussions from the electorate if they so anything real about smoking.

Time for Greece to prove it is a modern country that cares about the health of its citizens and of the all-important tourists. But are its weak institutions up to this, or will Greece be exposed for what it is?