In response to the ongoing discussions, the Department of Drug, Tobacco and Alcohol Control (NTAKD) draws attention to the fact that according to the laws of the Republic of Lithuania, it is prohibited to smoke “during outdoor sports competitions or other outdoor events, except in designated areas.” Legal liability is provided for non-compliance with this prohibition.
Representatives of the institution emphasize in a comment to Žmonės.lt – to avoid violations and unpleasant situations, event organizers must take leadership. NTAKD recommends ensuring the safest and most comfortable environment possible for all visitors, including those who do not wish to inhale others’ smoke.
To make the rules work in practice, specific actions are proposed. Organizers are recommended to visibly mark special zones and arrange them so that smoke and vapors do not enter the space of other visitors. It is also very important that the event staff be trained and help ensure compliance with these rules.
NTAKD reminds that this prohibition is by no means limited to regular cigarettes – the rules equally apply to electronic cigarettes, heated tobacco, and other related products.
It is necessary to inform already when buying a ticket
The department highlights another very important aspect – informing visitors well before the event. According to NTAKD, visitors should be clearly informed about the rules that will apply in the area already at the time of ticket purchase or on the official event website. This would allow people to assess the conditions in advance and make an informed decision about whether they want to participate in such an event.
NTAKD emphasizes that for the concert to be a pleasant experience for everyone, complete bans are not necessary. It is simply important to properly organize spaces and ensure that one person’s choice does not spoil the festive experience of others.
Like in a “gas chamber”
The discussion about smoking at outdoor events arose after a spectator who attended “The Cure” and Moby concerts in Kalnų Park shared his experience. Although he praised the wonderful weather, great music, and absence of queues, the entire impression was spoiled by personal space turning into a “kind of gas chamber.”
“The only ‘bonus’ that no one expected was three hours of active passive smoking. Weed, cigarettes, IQOS, vapes – as if the event had an additional, unadvertised program. There is nowhere to go out because you like the music and paid dearly for the ticket,” the outraged visitor wrote in a letter to the editor. He missed both signs and announcements about the smoking rules, and when he asked a person standing nearby to move away with a cigarette, he was told that no one forbids smoking here.
The spectator suggested that organizers consider the possibility of setting up separate sectors for non-smokers, for which music lovers would even agree to pay extra, or at least officially warn ticket buyers that there will be a lot of smoking at the event.
Responding to these complaints, representatives of the company “L Tips Agency” that organized the concerts said they value audience feedback and promised to look for ways to improve control in the future. However, the organizers noted that controlling every smoker in thousands-strong crowds in open spaces is unrealistic for security staff, so everything primarily depends on people’s awareness and respect for others.
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