Broific for children: Germany is directed towards France!

Broific for children: Germany is directed towards France!

Deutschland - What does summer bring for air quality in Germany? After the courageous step of introducing a comprehensive ban on smoking in public areas from July, local politicians from the SPD and the Greens also take similar measures. In France, the ban applies in parks, in front of schools and at bus stops, in particular to protect children from the dangers of passive smoking. Dagmar Schmidt from the SPD emphasizes how important this protection is for the health of the youngest. "The French smoking ban is a good role model for us," she says. Janosch Dahmen from the Greens also joins this advance and, in addition to smoking bans, also calls for higher tobacco taxes and a strict ban on advertising for tobacco products. The health consequences for the health insurance companies should not be underestimated.

What about the e-cigarettes? Federal Minister of Health Nina Warken (CDU) has also spoken out and is calling for an expansion of non-smoking protection to vapes and e-cigarettes. She warns that these devices often contain more harmful substances than initially assumed. The minister makes it clear that the Federal Government has already taken measures to include e-cigarettes in the Federal Nutry Protection Act. However, the responsibility of restaurants to schools is in accordance with the requirements of the federal states, which makes protection in these facilities insufficient. "We urgently need stricter guidelines to better protect children and young people," demands Warken.

a necessary step for health

Some experts criticize current non -smoking protection in Germany as inadequate and warn of the health consequences of tobacco consumption. The German Cancer Aid appeals to the Federal Government to do more for prevention, especially on the occasion of the Weltniche smoking day. According to current statistics, tobacco consumption is the largest avoidable risk factor for cancer - in Germany 80% of lung cancer cases are smoke due to smoke. Every year at least 127,000 people die due to their smoking habits. The Cancer Society therefore calls for a ban on smoking on playgrounds, sports facilities and in educational institutions to protect the younger ones and promote general rethinking.

But not only Germany has a need for action. At European level, too, the EU proposes to introduce smoke bans outdoors in order to promote the health of the population. The World Health Organization (WHO) also warns of flavored nicotine products that are particularly attractive for young people. Statistics show that 12.5% ​​of minors used e-cigarettes in the WHO European region in 2022 compared to only 2% of adults.

summarized it shows that there is a lot to do to change the smoke behavior in Germany sustainably and to better protect the health of people, especially the boys. A look at France could be helpful in order to implement necessary regulations quickly and effectively in this country.

For more information, read the reporting of Tagesschau .