**A smoking ban in bars, restaurants and offices across the Brazilian state of Sao Paulo comes into effect on Friday.**The ban outlaws smoking everywhere but in the open air and in private homes.
Sao Paulo governor Jose Serra says most people support the ban and he has pledged that anyone flouting the new law will be fined.
However, some bar and restaurant owners have complained that the law is confusing and they say it will be difficult to enforce.
Sao Paulo state has an estimated 40 million inhabitants with about 11 million living in Sao Paulo city.
“How can I control someone who comes in and smokes inside” asked Max Abdo, owner of the Tabaqueria Ranieri in Sao Paulo city.
“I will respect the law, but everything is very confusing,” he told AFP news agency.
Mr Abdo’s business partner, Cassio Gabus Mendes, said that smoking a Cuban cigar “is a ritual” in their bar.
But he added: “Smokers are going to have to adapt.”
Correspondents say that previous attempts to ban smoking in Sao Paulo have failed, largely due to public apathy and legal challenges.
This time, however, officials say they have the support of the vast majority of the population.
In an interview with Brazil’s Globo TV, Mr Serra said the ban was to protect non-smokers, seven of whom die in the state every day from passive smoking.