NS and ProRail to ban smoking at stations from October 2020

The NS and ProRail have made the joint decision to ban smoking at train stations entirely. The ban will likely come into effect fully from October 2020 onwards. The NS will also stop selling tobacco products at its stores in stations, NOS reports

The decision was made as a result of several factors. The NS and ProRail both want to contribute to the goal of reaching a smoke-free society by 2040. Additionally, the level of tolerance for smoking in the Netherlands has been decreasing, and the station authorities note that they have received plenty of complaints by travellers who are bothered by smokers.

No more smoking zones

Currently, there are “smoking zones” on all platforms at NS stations. These are delineated with a yellow line on the ground, which does exactly nothing to prevent smoke spreading beyond the smoking zones. From October 2020 onwards, these will no longer exist.

No new contracts to tobacco-selling vendors

From 1 April onwards, the NS will stop selling tobacco related products at the Kiosk and Stationshuiskamer in each station: these are the premises run by the NS itself. Other new businesses will not be offered contracts if they sell tobacco products from this date onwards as well.

What do you think of this ban? Let us know in the comments below. 

Feature Image: PublicDomainPictures/Pixabay

Ailish Lalor
Ailish Lalor
Ailish was born in Sydney, Australia, but grew up by a forest in south-east Ireland, which she has attempted to replace with a living room filled with plants in The Hague. Besides catering to her army of pannenkoekenplantjes, Ailish spends her days convincing her friends that all food is better slightly burnt, plotting ways to hang out with dogs and cats, and of course, writing for DutchReview.

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