PARIS, Sep 22: Most French people are in favour of introducing a total ban on smoking in restaurants, cafes, bars and nightclubs, a poll indicated amid government hesitation over introducing such a ban.

Weakened by a battle with trade unions and students over a controversial youth jobs contract yesterday, the government backed away in April from a ban on smoking in bars and restaurants to avoid a clash with France's many smokers and tobacconists.

A parliamentary commission charged with looking into a ban has yet to decide whether one should be imposed by law or by government decree, a committee spokesman said on Wednesday.

The IFOP poll carried out for a trade magazine on cafes, bars and restaurants, showed 77 per cent of respondents were in favour of a smoking ban in restaurants, while 23 per cent opposed it. For cafes, bars and brasseries, 66 percent backed a ban.

Most of the 957 people polled on September 7 and 8 also backed a smoking ban in discotheques and nightclubs, with 61 per cent in favour and 39 per cent against.

Ireland imposed the world's first nationwide smoking ban in pubs, restaurants and workplaces in 2004. Several countries have since imposed similar bans, including Italy, Sweden and Ukraine.

REUTERS