Half-measures on smoking

France is apparently due to bring in an indoor public smoking ban (though not an entirely complete one) on the 2nd of January. It differs from our one in one glaring way; the penalty for violation is a few hundred euros fine.

Now, in this country, the penalty for violation, especially for a pub or similar, is, of course, an absolutely enormous fine, and possibly summary execution. And even then, once you go outside Dublin, a room with a largish open window is often considered a perfectly reasonable 'smoking area' in a pub. I don't see France's ban working too well.