Currently, smoking is banned in production and storage rooms, but businesses may still maintain smoking rooms. Those must be gone by 2027, said Aive Telling of the ministry's Department of Public Health.

"Using state resources to enable and supervise smoking is unethical and inappropriate," she said, adding that allowing smoking rooms creates needless oversight.

The bill of amendments is moving through its second review round as part of a package billed as reducing bureaucracy. That drew sharp criticism from the Estonian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (EKTK), which argued the bill instead means more costs and obligations for businesses.

EKTK director general Mait Palts said the proposal lacked a realistic look at costs. "That whole side called for by sound lawmaking — that was very lacking here," he said. He added that the premise of the bill is misleading, because it promises less bureaucracy but delivers more.

Palts said bureaucracy means not only permits or applications, but broader administrative burdens as well, and noted that the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Communications (MKM) and Ministry of Justice and Digital Affairs share the chamber's view. He argued that simply banning things so state agencies have less oversight "is not how reducing bureaucracy should work."

At the Social Affairs Ministry, Telling said they have added details on costs and restructuring to the bill, but are standing firm on banning smoking rooms to save state resources.

Palts also questioned how far the state should limit rights, asking why the state should intervene if people want to smoke and a company allows it.  

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