Germany Abandons Smoking Ban in Cars with Children and Pregnant Women
According to a report by Maz-online in Germany, the coalition government formed by the Christian Democratic Union/Christian Social Union (CDU/CSU) and the Social Democratic Party (SPD) has abandoned the measure proposed by Health Minister Karl Lauterbach to ban smoking in vehicles with children and pregnant women, due to pressure from the Free Democratic Party (FDP).
German Federal Drug Commissioner Burkhard Blienert has expressed that Lauterbach's crucial proposal has only remained in the draft bill for a few weeks.
He criticized, saying, "I struggle to comprehend the concerns of the Federal Democratic Party, which argue that such measures could excessively restrict citizens' freedoms, given that they directly relate to the rights of children."
He questioned whether it is appropriate to allow children to sit in the smog of pollutants while on a road trip without discussing it with their parents. He warned that the concentration of pollutants produced from smoking in cars is as high as that in a smoker's bar.
In early July 2023, the Lauterbach plan implemented measures to ban smoking in cars with minors or pregnant women present, ensuring necessary protection against passive smoking for these vulnerable groups. However, the version of the bill passed by the federal cabinet in mid-August does not include the smoking ban, a point that has not yet been publicly communicated or justified by the coalition government.
Breelinet emphasized that in Germany, nearly 130,000 people die each year due to smoking. In terms of population, this is significantly higher than many other European Union countries. He stated that smoking causes an economic loss of approximately €100 billion each year.
"Since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been an increase in the number of people smoking and using e-cigarettes. We urgently need to take action," warned Bloomfield.
Blainet has expressed that one approach is to further expand smoking bans and has called for the implementation of Lauterbach's original plan.
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