Smoking prohibited: Why we should imitate France

I had to go to the office the other day. There were two ashtrays in front of the entrance, as large as flower pot. They felt felt with sand, protruded from the umpteen cigarette button, partly the mouthpiece was covered with red lipstick. Brrr! People had gathered around the ashes, apparently also state employees who hastily pulled on their tips. I had to go through her smelly tobacco clouds. Disgusting, also for a former smoker like me.

Such poisoned zones have not only been available from administrations since smoking in public interiors has been drastically reduced. The tobacco clouds spread out in front of hospitals, on children’s playgrounds, on the lawn in the swimming pool, on the edge of the field of soccer fields, in pedestrian zones, around fountain in the park. Even in beer gardens, where you eat, you are naturally incorporated.

France, the motherland of the cool Gitanes existentialists, has now decided to prohibit smoking in public. From July 1st, the airfall should be over at freely accessible locations such as beaches, parks and gardens, the surrounding area of ​​schools, bus stops and sports facilities.

Vive La France! This is a really fair act towards humanity! We should do it to our neighbors as soon as possible.

France’s Minister of Health Catherine Vautrin justifies the decision with the words where the right of the children begin in clean air, the freedom to smoke ends. I would also extend this right to adults. Anyone who is exposed to the smoke as a non -smoker will be massively restricted in their quality of life and probably also life expectancy. The schnitzel in the beer garden no longer tastes good when it does not smell of pigs and breading, but to Marlboro. Incidentally, this is not a little better with e-cigarettes. Their sweet must, which is reminiscent of cheap children’s raspberry juices, is an at least as much imposition.

An extensive ban on smoking would have another advantage: less cigarette buttocks would be carelessly thrown away. At least 66 billion cigarettes are evaporated in Germany alone and often disposed of in nature. A real environmental problem. The rain flushes nerve poison nicotine into our food cycles.

I think the German state would be much strictly towards smokers who are just 20 percent of the population if the tobacco lobby was not so powerful and the tax revenue would not be so attractive. In the EU, an attempt is made from time to time to turn off the evil. However, the European Parliament last rejected a non -binding commission’s resolution at the end of November 2024, which provided for the leakage outdoor smoking bans outdoors, for example on playgrounds, in swimming pools, at train stations and in other public locations. One reason: the gastronomy could experience disadvantages. Oh well. In Germany, there was no die of pubs after the smoking ban in the 2013 catering trade.

So Brussels will not offer any protection to the non -smokers at first. The federal government is currently not planning a nationwide uniform regulation. But that does not mean that politics could not act. Laws on non -smoking protection are country matter. Every prime minister, every Prime Minister could earn merits here.

It is hopeless to rely on the fact that the smokers become more considerate. Even if they wanted it, they could never influence where the wind drives their exhaust gases. You can always experience this firsthand on the silly, open smoking zones on platforms. The tobacco smoke does not adhere to ground markings, but of course, but of course attacks all bystanders.

So, ending with the license for smokers, extensive public air spaces to be taken into account. Smoking in public must also be drastically restricted. But it is clear that you don’t solve the addiction problem, the smoke keeps warp, the smokers remain. You have to offer alternatives to the nicotine junkies if cigarettes are not quite prohibited.

In front of the office I thought it was a lot of wiser to set up a worthy smoking room for them. A lung lounge. Then you do not have to endure in the wind and weather in the glow zone on contaminated flower chops and harass other visitors. Because that is somehow unworthy.