Sistine Chapel Smoke Outlawed!

I was just reading a report from Catholic News Service about plans anti-tobacco activists have related to Pope Benedict's April visit to the U.S. The article can be found at: http://www.catholicnews.com/data/stories/cns/0801699.htm.

A couple of weeks ago, I heard someone say that smoking was banned in nearly every public place in Italy. When I traveled in Italy last year, people were smoking everywhere. Italians have a dramatically different persepctive on laws than we have in the U.S. For example, there are traffic signals in Italy. However, they are viewed more as suggestions than edicts. While the traffic signals may be green or red, Italians seem to always see them as yellow. The may slow down a bit, but there is no reason to stop. We don't do that in the U.S. Red means stop! If someone goes through a red light, numerous horns will sound.

So, the activists want the Pope to consider banning smoking in the Vatican. Unfortunately for them, such a ban would have little, if any, impact. People don't smoke in churches or other holy places in the Vatican. However, they puff like crazy in the outdoor public places. A ban won't stop this. Again, Italians would view the ban as a suggestion - not a mandate. This is just one of those many areas where the perspectives of people in the U.S. and people in Italy (and many other European countries) differ. These differences are part of the reason why there is a significant amount of tension between the Vatican and the U.S. church.

So, people in the Vatican will continue to puff away regardless of the efforts of the U.S. anti-smoking activists. I wonder if any studies have been done to determine the impact that second-hand Sistine Chapel papal election smoke has on the people that live in or near the Vatican.