Until recently, smoking was very common in the Netherlands. Since the introduction of the ban on smoking in public places on 1 July 2008, smoking has become a lot less common. This is partially because the government started a huge campaign to make people aware of the effects of smoking on their health. Nowadays you can have a wild night out and come home without your hair and your clothes reeking of cigarette smoke. For some this is an enormous benefit, and others (read: smokers) find it a pain, and banish themselves to the many smoker’s rooms in the country. Moreover, thanks to unclear rules you may suddenly find yourself in a pub where there are people smoking. This is usually in pubs with just a single staff member: the boss. Or you may find yourself in a pub that flouts the ban on smoking. This will not have any consequences for you: if you light a cigarette in a pub and the manager tolerates this, then the manager will receive a fine upon inspection. Next to cigarette smoke, the Netherlands is of course also known for its wafts of marijuana. For more information see ‘Drugs’.