ROME, March 2 (Xinhuanet) -- Italy's harsh new anti-smoking laws have been well received and police have only had to give out a fewfines to rebellious smokers, Health Minister Girolamo Sirchia saidhere on Wednesday.

    "We are satisfied with the way people in Italy have grasped what the law means for public health and not seen it just as a ban," he told reporters.

    The minister was speaking after a meeting with his Belgian colleague Rudy Demotte, who was in Italy to study the anti-smokingmeasures applied here, with a view to taking some measures in his country.

    Since the ban on smoking in restaurants, offices, bars and other public buildings came into effect on January 10, police havecarried out 3,120 inspections but only fined 51 people for puffingaway regardless, the minister said.

    Almost all the fines had been handed out in nightclubs, he added.

    A further 120 people have been fined for breaching other parts of the anti-smoking package, mainly for failing to create separaterooms for smokers in restaurants and bars.

    With the Italian ban in place for two months, officials at the health ministry are now working on adjustments which will allow smoking in cigar clubs and, within limits, in prisons. Enditem