Just came back from Christmas and New Year in Candolim. You would never know there is a smoking ban. Our shack did have no smoking signs up near the back but also provided ash trays! Saw people smoking at the airport so there you go...

We also went to Goa over xmas, my son and nephew both smoke and they didnt know a smoking ban was in place. The first thing they did when we landed in Goa was light up, and they got alight from a policeman at the airport.

Hi Janeywhit and Carlz,
Thank you for your info, I will be looking forward to smoking as soon as we land in Goa, so you replies are much appreciated as I was dreading having to wait until I get to the hotel.
Many thanks
PaulaS

Hi without sounding like a killjoy but why do smokers think they are above the law.If i was to come on this forum and ask for advice on how to do something illegal i would be told to obey the law of the land.
keith&judith

cmon keith & judith lighten up, excuse the pun ??.

Why should i lighten up i used to smoke 40 cigs a day and used to tell people who complained to me about smoking to get over it and stop moaning!!! and only after losing members of family and friends due to smoking i realised what a life threatening habit smoking really is! so if you think this a trivial matter i apologise for affending you.

hi, got back new years eve, i read in a newspaper the day before we left that police had arrested quite a few people for smoking and issued them with fines. i'm a smoker unfortunatey but never had a problem, but if i did see a no smoking sign i did obey the rules. some restaurants had ashtrays on the table and no smoking signs, all a bit confusing really.

Hi Gruff60,
Thanks for your reply, its much appreciated and I will look out for the no smoking signs and be cautious as to where and when I smoke. Hopefully, I too won't have any problems.
Thanks
PaulaS

We got back 21st November

Yes there is a smoking ban but it is seldom enforced.

We smoked a fag with a policemen as we were queing up to go through passport control on the way in. This was before we knew of the ban but it certainly wasn't enforced.

we smoked quite freely on the street - if any of you know the barbers on the corner of the T junction in Candolim then you will know that the policemen get their hair cut there and yes, they smoke quite feely standing on the street.

we even had a fag in the departure lounge on our way out, for which we did get told to put them out as the departure lounge is a no smoking area despite the ashtrays liberally spread about and were told that we should have had a cigarette before we entered the airport.

Having said this we did meet people who claimed to have been fined for smoking (averaged about 100 rupees).

I wouldn't be overly concerned, make sure you have 100 rupees in a separate pocket (the fine increases proportionatley with the size of your wad) and use a bit of common sense, don't smoke somewhere that is likely to cause offence and do put your fag out if asked.

My opinion is that many of these laws are used as a device if people are acting anti-socially. It gives the police a valid reason to move you on.

One thing we did do was bought ourselves little silver (coloured - I doubt very much they were real silver) personal ashtrays from Anjuna Market but it was more because like me, my friends hate having to flick their ash and butts on the street

Hi Fritz,
Thanks for your information it has been much appreciated and I am sure it will be of a great help to us when we arrive there. I am so looking forward to going that I've started counting the days and I have 81 days until departure!! it sounds like a very long wait
Thanks again for your info.
PaulaS

Has their been any more on the smoking in public ban that they put in place last Feb? Will I need to hide under my beach towel on the sunbed to have a crafty drag. Takes me back to behind the bike sheds at school.

no there are just no smoking signs everywhere and you just have to ask for an ash tray - crazy but that's Goa x

Thanks condolimlover, Welcome back hope you had a fantastic time,I'ts the only downside about going to Goa,the coming home.Most place i've been to you can have a great holiday but coming homes not so bad.Goas the exception from the moment I get on that plane to come back home a deep depression descends on me that takes weeks to shift.My friends and and family get sick of my goa this and goa that tales,but youve got to go to understand
Lyn

Just got back from Goa end of Jan and we were told about this no smoking rule as soon as we arrived. Rep warned us not to smoke in public places, on beach etc as people were being fined etc. We were there 3 weeks and smoked everyday in public - never got fined once.

We were sitting outside a bar on the main street in Calangute last year (April), there was a female tourist smoking at the next table. The police stopped their jeep and fined her on the spot and also fined the bar owner as he didn't have a warning sign up. I think the bar owner paid the tourist's fine for her (couldn't understand the lingo!)

Didn't see any of this on any of the beaches though. We'll see what happens this year.

The smoking ban does apply to all public places though, including the beach. my wife nearly got caught in mapusa, but i whipped the fag from her mouth when i saw the 2 policemen about to spot her doing this awful thing!!
BOB

Roll on the 1st of July.

Why 1st July Papa?

That's when the smoking ban in pubs etc. comes into force in England.

Debs