On Thursday May 16, 2013, the Faculty of Law at the Holy Spirit University of Kaslik (USEK) organized a mock trial on the topic “The Ban on Smoking: Between Reality and Utopia”.

This event aimed to discuss the effects of a law that was expected to deal with banning one of the most widespread scourges of our society. However, we remain far from implementing it. In fact, despite the scientific research and studies that have confirmed the negative impact of smoking, upon smokers and nonsmokers, the adoption of the law banning smoking in public places, especially closed places such as restaurants, was not an easy task. After a long journey of exerted efforts, law number 174 was promulgated on 29/08/2011 under the title: “Reducing Smoking and Organizing Manufacturing, Packing and Advertising of Tobacco Products”.

The mock trial told the story of Ramy, who entered a restaurant, confident that smoking was prohibited in that place. However, he was surprised to see one of the customers, Farid, smoking his cigar and ignoring the anti-smoking banners, the other customers and the law.

Ramy went to Farid and asked him to put out his cigar. The latter started insulting him and using improper words. As a result, the police came and opened a record of violation and a record of slander and defamation. An ambulance was then called, since Ramy had suffered from an asthma attack because of the smoke coming from Farid’s cigar.

The victim in this incident, Ramy, filed a law suit against the smoker, Farid, and the owner of the restaurant, Issam, before a single penal judge. The two defendants lost the case and later appealed against the decision of the single penal judge before the Court of Appeal hoping to settle the conflict.

This pioneering event is within the framework of the contribution of the Faculty of Law in nurturing human beings, not only on cultural and scientific levels, but also on humanitarian, ethical, social and intellectual levels. The Faculty believes that what it accomplishes today has a great impact on the career of the future jurists.