TICAP, The Hague, March 15th 2010

Saturday, August 02, 2008

German Courts Change Smoking History


Germany, second home to Europe's second most rabid anti-smoker this century has reversed it's Nazi history by proposing amending their anti-smoking law. Adolf Hitler, second only to Amanda Sandford of ASH(UK) was famous for his anti-smoking rhetoric, but courts in the country he once led have decided that their anti-smoking law is not just.

"The court said a ban on smoking in small one-room bars in two states – Berlin and Baden-Wuttermberg – was discriminatory as similar pubs that had extra rooms were legally allowed to offer one for smokers."

The court's recommendation is that the law should be redrawn, but it does also suggest that one alternative is to totally ban smoking in pubs rather than allow smoking rooms.

The report in "The Publican" relates the story of of two small Berlin pubs whose takings had dropped by 30%.

Anti-smokers will doubtless point to the UK law being better drafted, but at least this is a small victory as it demonstrates the unfairness of anti-smoking legislation in Europe.

Read the article...