German government pushes to ban smoking in cars with children
Germany's Health Ministry wants to ban smoking in cars when there are children and pregnant women present.
According to the draft bill, a ban on smoking - which already applies in public transport - would be implemented in future "in closed vehicles in the presence of minors or pregnant women".
The government says that children can't escape passive smoking in these kinds of situations.
They are a "particularly vulnerable group of people" and the amendment of the law is needed to "ensure the necessary protection from passive smoking", the draft bill from the Health Ministry outlines.
The planned ban would apply to tobacco cigarettes, e-cigarettes, heated tobacco products and cannabis.
Several federal states have already pushed for fines to be slapped on anyone caught smoking in cars when children or pregnant women are travelling.
The government in Lower Saxony referenced the German Cancer Research Centre, stating that the concentration of tobacco in cars can be "five times as high as in an average smoky pub".
READ ALSO: Four German states push for smoking ban in cars with children
And in March 2022, the Bundesrat, which represents the German states, called for a nationwide ban.
The Bundesrat referred to estimates from the Cancer Research Centre that a million children and young people are exposed to tobacco smoke during car journeys.
The federal government at the time said that a ban on smoking in cars in the presence of minors was "unreservedly welcomed". However, the government said there were constitutional concerns - although the "need for legislative action" should be examined, it said.
In Germany, there is currently no smoking ban in cars because the car is considered a private space. The concern with bans is that they could mean an encroachment on private freedom.
The draft bill from the Health Minister, which is headed up by Karl Lauterbach of the Social Democrats, still needs to be coordinated with other ministries before being presented to the cabinet.
If it makes it through, it would then go to German parliament (the Bundestag) to be voted on.
Vocabulary
Smoking ban - (das) Rauchverbot
Passive smoking (das) Passivrauchen
Pregnant women - (die) Schwangere
We're aiming to help our readers improve their German by translating vocabulary from some of our news stories. Did you find this article useful? Let us know.
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See Also
According to the draft bill, a ban on smoking - which already applies in public transport - would be implemented in future "in closed vehicles in the presence of minors or pregnant women".
The government says that children can't escape passive smoking in these kinds of situations.
They are a "particularly vulnerable group of people" and the amendment of the law is needed to "ensure the necessary protection from passive smoking", the draft bill from the Health Ministry outlines.
The planned ban would apply to tobacco cigarettes, e-cigarettes, heated tobacco products and cannabis.
Several federal states have already pushed for fines to be slapped on anyone caught smoking in cars when children or pregnant women are travelling.
The government in Lower Saxony referenced the German Cancer Research Centre, stating that the concentration of tobacco in cars can be "five times as high as in an average smoky pub".
READ ALSO: Four German states push for smoking ban in cars with children
And in March 2022, the Bundesrat, which represents the German states, called for a nationwide ban.
The Bundesrat referred to estimates from the Cancer Research Centre that a million children and young people are exposed to tobacco smoke during car journeys.
The federal government at the time said that a ban on smoking in cars in the presence of minors was "unreservedly welcomed". However, the government said there were constitutional concerns - although the "need for legislative action" should be examined, it said.
In Germany, there is currently no smoking ban in cars because the car is considered a private space. The concern with bans is that they could mean an encroachment on private freedom.
The draft bill from the Health Minister, which is headed up by Karl Lauterbach of the Social Democrats, still needs to be coordinated with other ministries before being presented to the cabinet.
If it makes it through, it would then go to German parliament (the Bundestag) to be voted on.
Vocabulary
Smoking ban - (das) Rauchverbot
Passive smoking (das) Passivrauchen
Pregnant women - (die) Schwangere
We're aiming to help our readers improve their German by translating vocabulary from some of our news stories. Did you find this article useful? Let us know.
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