Geneva, capital of hygiene

Last autumn, Geneva's Grand Council supported a motion to ban smoking on terraces during mealtimes. In the end, the Conseil d'Etat saved the day by focusing instead on making smokers more responsible.

Imagine the scene. Geneva, Thursday, 1 p.m. The terrace of La Clémence on Place du Bourg-de-Four is full. A man finishes his entrecôte, pushes his plate away, takes out his packet. He lights himself a cigarette. At this precise moment, according to the majority of Geneva's Grand Council, he is committing an act harmful to public health. A danger. A nuisance. Almost a crime.

Same man. Same terrace. Same cigarette. Same day. It's 5:00 pm. It's mild because it's the beginning of summer. The terrace is already full. Glasses are piling up, conversations are lively. He lights up. No problem. Nothing to see here.

That's the whole abs