Jordan bans smoking and vaping in indoor public spaces

Decision follows recent revelation country has highest rates of tobacco use in the world

The Jordanian government has banned smoking and vaping in all indoor public spaces a week after a Guardian investigation revealed tobacco use in the country had become the highest in the world.

The country's health ministry said on Wednesday all enclosed public areas would now be 100% smoke-free environments", building on an existing but widely flouted ban on smoking inside government buildings and ending an exemption for hotels, cafes and restaurants provided they separated smokers from non-smokers.