Germany: European Smoker's Paradise

- one can smoke in a hospital in germany? shocking!


Germany: European Smoker's Paradise

http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,2144,1858020,00.html

While nine European countries have already brought in comprehensive
anti-smoking restrictions, Germany is one of those lagging behind.

In spite of increased taxes on tobacco and partial, voluntary smoking bans
in restaurants and bars, Germany remains a smoker's paradise. Every day,
Germans light up 386 million cigarettes in public buildings, office blocks,
cafés and elsewhere. On billboards all over the country, the happy, smiling
faces of smokers look down through the smog at puffing pedestrians.



Germany is bringing up the rear behind the countries that are leading the
fight against smoking. Non-smokers are protected in Belgium, the Czech
Republic, Ireland, Italy, Macedonia, Malta, Norway, Spain and Sweden. In
Germany, however, there are very few public places where non-smokers can
escape the toxic fumes.



But there is a certain amount of desire for change. In February 1998, an
anti-smoking initiative tried to exile smokers from hospitals, schools,
bars, restaurants, discotheques and cinema lobbies. But, despite wide
support from different parties, the plan failed due to opposition from
members of the cabinet under then-Chancellor Helmut Kohl.



Smoke clearing for opposition groups



However, health experts have not surrendered and now see a chance to get the
ball rolling again in the campaign for a more widespread ban in Germany.



"To our knowledge, Chancellor Merkel is a non-smoker," Friedrich Wiebel,
spokesman for the Non-Smokers Action Alliance, told the AP news agency
recently. "Now we have a better chance."



The alliance is backed by a number of health organizations that aim to
present a draft initiative that will lead to a ban on smoking inside public
buildings.



The alliance is relying on the support of Health Minister Ulla Schmidt to
expand the existing regulations in Germany. Under Schmidt's watch, the
German government in 2005 reached a voluntary agreement with restaurant and
bar proprietors for the creation of limited no-smoking areas in 30 percent
of all licensed premises.



Partial ban to be extended



This partial smoking ban is scheduled to be extended to 90 percent of all
bars and restaurants in Germany by March 1, 2008. By then, owners will be
required to provide 50 percent of their premises for non-smokers.



On average, 3,300 people die each year from smoking related illnesses in
Germany, a figure that has continually caused the medical community to call
on the government to "break with the tobacco lobby" and make a concerted
attempt at reversing the deadly trend.



Doctors' organizations have criticized the government for considering
logical regulations like banning smoking in schools, hospitals and the
workplace while still cozying up to the tobacco industry. Germany continues
to allow widespread tobacco advertising despite a proposed EU-wide ban
supported by almost all the bloc's members.



Germany steps up opposition to ad ban



In December, the German government complained for the second time against
the proposed ban, the decision on which is expected to be announced in the
summer of this year.



Until then, and until Germany comes into line with other EU nations on
banning smoking, the country will remain a smoker's paradise.



DW staff (nda)


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