One of the negative aspects of living in Germany is the prevalence of smokers everywhere you go. There are regions, like Luebeck, where there are still no anti-smoking laws. People literally smoke without the least amount of inhibition.
The government is making efforts to enforce anti-smoking laws. Unfortunately, their efforts are tentative.
I worked at a university hospital and they did not ban smoking in the hospital bistro until a year ago! Figure that one. Doctors and patients sitting around and smoking one cigarette after another. Bizarre.
Yet, I found out that all is not well in other countries, which have long enforced anti-smoking laws. A friend of mine went hiking along the Jabob Paths in Spain last summer. Apparently, there are signs everywhere, e.g., in restaurants, saying “Smokers Welcomed”. She says the Spaniards don’t like to be told what to do.
I'm so waiting for the law to change so that smoking will be forbidden at least in restaurants! At least the trains are now completely smoke-free. My mother is a very heavy smoker and she was delighted to find that smoking isn't banned in Bavaria. She lives in Niedersachsen where smoking is no longer allowed in restaurants and such. But there are already restaurant owners trying to get the anti-smoking laws revoked.
ReplyDeleteFor now I make a point in only going to cafès where there are non-smoker areas at least.