Berlin Update
Joe Jackson – Joe’s Guide To Berlin
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J3XLZ1qg9W4
German smoke ban to be partially overturned, court rules
30 July, 2008
By James Wilmore
Small pubs to be permitted to allow smoking
Germany is to be forced to reverse its ban on smoking in small pubs, the country’s top constitutional court has ruled.
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 situation differs to that in the UK where a total smoking ban covers all public places, meaning a level playing field for all businesses.
Smokers should also be permitted to light up in one-room venues, the court said.
The ruling is likely to set a precedent for other German states.
In an emailed statement, the court said: “Lawmakers could totally ban smoking in all bars and restaurants. But if they decide to allow exceptions for some barkeepers, then these exceptions must also apply to small pubs which are most hit by the ban.”
The ruling upheld a complaint lodged by the owners of two small bars in Berlin and a disco operator in the southwestern state of Baden-Wuerttemberg, who argued the ban had cut their revenues by more than 30 per cent.
Hans-Juergen Papier, the court’s president, said the law would need to be redrawn by the end of next year.
He said until then, smoking should be permitted in bars and restaurants of less than 75 square metres that lack a separate smokers’ area.
About one third of Germans smoke, which is one of the highest rates in Europe.
Airline chief brands passive smoking as “baloney”
10 Nov 2006
The head of an airline which is to introduce flights on which passengers are permitted to smoke, has described anti-smoking arguments related to passive smoking as “baloney”.
Alexander Schoppman, founder of Smokers International Airways, also known as Smintair, said that claims about the effects of second-hand smoke were a “big lie” and argued that smoking on airlines had always been safe.
Mr Schoppman’s comments are likely to be condemned by anti-smoking groups and follow new research highlighted this week which claims that children who are exposed to passive smoking have an increased chance of developing bladder cancer in later life.
Speaking ahead of the first smoking flights to be launched by the German airline, Mr Shoppman claimed that most airlines banned smoking in order to reduce costs associated with providing air ventilation in aircraft cabins.
“It is a lot cheaper to do non-smoking flights than smokers’ flights because the air inside the cabin is only recycled and hardly any air from outside is put into the cabin,” said the airline boss, who claimed that the majority of airlines used just 15 per cent of air ventilation capacity, in contrast to the 80 to 100 per cent capacity Smintair plans to use to ensure that the air inside cabins is “better than in an operating theatre”.
“It is abnormal really that smoking is banned on aeroplanes. We are not reinventing the wheel; we are just reintroducing smoking into aviation,” added Mr Shoppman.
Smintair is due to make its maiden flight next year, initially serving routes between Germany’s Dusseldorf airport and Tokyo and Shanghai.
All passengers on board its planes will be permitted to light up throughout flights, with the airline planning to fly Boeing 747s which will carry just 138 travellers, despite the planes having a capacity to carry over 500.
Smokers’ rights group Forest described the planned Smintair flights as a “very exciting development”.
Forest director Simon Clark said the group were “constantly” receiving calls from people in the UK asking whether there were any airlines which still allowed smokers to light up onboard their flights.
However, Mr Shoppman’s comments in regard to passive smoking are likely to be slammed by anti-smoking groups, who have long argued that passive smoking poses a danger to the health of non-smokers.
New research funded by Cancer Research UK claims that exposure to second hand smoke at a young age can increase the risk of children and adolescents developing bladder cancer in later life.
The study, to be published in the International Journal of Cancer next week, examined data from almost 430,000 individuals and found that exposure to second hand smoke during childhood increased a person’s risk of developing bladder cancer by almost 40 per cent.
“This adds to the growing body of evidence that children and adolescents may be even more vulnerable to the harmful effects of tobacco smoke than adults,” said the report’s co-author Dr Naomi Allen.
Ladies and Gentlemen, dear Guests,
The biggest scam of all times:
“Second Hand Smoke (SHS, a.k.a. ETS, Environmental Tobacco Smoke) damages your health or even kills”.
Please refer to our DOWNLOADS page and be surprised by the overwhelming, neutral evidence against the “Passive Smoking” hysteria. By the way, did you know that the NAZIs also sported a huge Anti-Smoking campaign? Yes, they did and the one we experience now, frightningly, carries exactly the same insignia.
“Second Hand Smoke (SHS, a.k.a. ETS, Environmental Tobacco Smoke) damages your health or even kills”.
Please refer to our DOWNLOADS page and be surprised by the overwhelming, neutral evidence against the “Passive Smoking” hysteria. By the way, did you know that the NAZIs also sported a huge Anti-Smoking campaign? Yes, they did and the one we experience now, frightningly, carries exactly the same insignia.
History:
In the medieval days, people denounced others for many different reason as being witches and sorcerers. They were brought to death without asking. In the times of Bonaparte, people were made to believe that the Aristocracy was the source of all evil. They took them and chopped their heads off. German Minister Martin Niem?ller, reflecting upon Germany’s fall to the NAZIs said: “They first came for the Communists, and I didn’t speak up, because I wasn’t a Communist. Then they came for the Jews, and I didn’t speak up, because I wasn’t a Jew. Then they came for the Trade Unionists, and I didn’t speak up as I wasn’t a Trade Unionist. Then they came for the Catholics. I didn’t speak up because I was a Protestant. Then they came for me, and by that time, no one was left to speak up.” In the USA, in the 1920s, alcohol was prohibited. It caused the crime rate to go to astronomical figures. Until the end of the 1960s, colored people were not allowed to enter restaurants, or other entities and in some States they were even hunted like deer …. and …. remember Apardheit? Until 1989, the German Democratic Republic shot everybody trying to leave the communist’s regime. The list of these monstrosities is endless. All of the above crimes against humanity were executed and/or tolerated by the masses. And today? What have we learned from all of this?
I sadly have to say: Nothing.
In the medieval days, people denounced others for many different reason as being witches and sorcerers. They were brought to death without asking. In the times of Bonaparte, people were made to believe that the Aristocracy was the source of all evil. They took them and chopped their heads off. German Minister Martin Niem?ller, reflecting upon Germany’s fall to the NAZIs said: “They first came for the Communists, and I didn’t speak up, because I wasn’t a Communist. Then they came for the Jews, and I didn’t speak up, because I wasn’t a Jew. Then they came for the Trade Unionists, and I didn’t speak up as I wasn’t a Trade Unionist. Then they came for the Catholics. I didn’t speak up because I was a Protestant. Then they came for me, and by that time, no one was left to speak up.” In the USA, in the 1920s, alcohol was prohibited. It caused the crime rate to go to astronomical figures. Until the end of the 1960s, colored people were not allowed to enter restaurants, or other entities and in some States they were even hunted like deer …. and …. remember Apardheit? Until 1989, the German Democratic Republic shot everybody trying to leave the communist’s regime. The list of these monstrosities is endless. All of the above crimes against humanity were executed and/or tolerated by the masses. And today? What have we learned from all of this?
I sadly have to say: Nothing.
Today:
4,3 Mio surveillance cameras in England alone, toll-free denounciation lines against smokers breaking the ban being in effect in Italy and Ireland. England and Scotland will follow early next year. Swearing in the streets of London costs you 65 Pound Sterling on the spot. Rising debate in Scotland about obesity and a possible ban of “junk food”. You think that’s a joke? No. But the truth is, they’ll soon be after you.
The poor old Anti-Smokers were initially only after the money of “Big Tobacco” via ludicrous but still horrendous damage claims, reaching their aims via totally insane judges accepting fake “scientific proof” as evidence. But these Anti-Smokers Orgs have, completely unintentionally, started something on such a big scope, that will be hard to stop. The politicians, around the World, discovered it as a power-tool, hoping the non-smoking majority of the population behind their action. These politicians know that there is no such thing as deadly SHS, but they still proclaim it as the only truth. (See the last paragraph for undeniable proof). The biggest lie eventually becomes the truth, if repeated endless times from numerous sources, all referring to the initial scam, by the way.
4,3 Mio surveillance cameras in England alone, toll-free denounciation lines against smokers breaking the ban being in effect in Italy and Ireland. England and Scotland will follow early next year. Swearing in the streets of London costs you 65 Pound Sterling on the spot. Rising debate in Scotland about obesity and a possible ban of “junk food”. You think that’s a joke? No. But the truth is, they’ll soon be after you.
The poor old Anti-Smokers were initially only after the money of “Big Tobacco” via ludicrous but still horrendous damage claims, reaching their aims via totally insane judges accepting fake “scientific proof” as evidence. But these Anti-Smokers Orgs have, completely unintentionally, started something on such a big scope, that will be hard to stop. The politicians, around the World, discovered it as a power-tool, hoping the non-smoking majority of the population behind their action. These politicians know that there is no such thing as deadly SHS, but they still proclaim it as the only truth. (See the last paragraph for undeniable proof). The biggest lie eventually becomes the truth, if repeated endless times from numerous sources, all referring to the initial scam, by the way.
Common Sense:
In the 40s, 50s and 60s, virtually everybody was smoking and/or exposed to SHS. If SHS would cause deaths, we must all have died a long time ago and lung cancer must be topping the casualty statistics, Guess what?! The generations having lived through those times are and will be the oldest people the World has ever seen. The 10 oldest citizen of this World are still or have been serious smokers. Another clue to the sheer idiotical SHS hype is the USA, a virtually smoke-free country: The average percentage of lung cancer fatalities in the World is 2%, but in the USA, it is 50% higher! They don’t sign the Kyoto Agreement, but proclaim SHS as N?1 death cause and smokers being responsible for the Global Warming! (Al Gore in early November 2006).
In the 40s, 50s and 60s, virtually everybody was smoking and/or exposed to SHS. If SHS would cause deaths, we must all have died a long time ago and lung cancer must be topping the casualty statistics, Guess what?! The generations having lived through those times are and will be the oldest people the World has ever seen. The 10 oldest citizen of this World are still or have been serious smokers. Another clue to the sheer idiotical SHS hype is the USA, a virtually smoke-free country: The average percentage of lung cancer fatalities in the World is 2%, but in the USA, it is 50% higher! They don’t sign the Kyoto Agreement, but proclaim SHS as N?1 death cause and smokers being responsible for the Global Warming! (Al Gore in early November 2006).
So why is all this happening?
Your state wants to execute direct power over you, down to your very private life.
Proof: The Scientific Department of the German Parliament published in it’s SHS documentation on September 21st, 2006, that “there is no valid proof to fatalities caused by SHS”. Just 50 days later, on November 10th, 2006, the German Government announced a smoking ban for all restaurants and such places, commencing in 2007. Official reason: “To protect the non-smokers from the smokers”! Only one day later, on November 11th, 2006, Chancellor Angela Merkel announced in her weekly internet message, more video surveillance systems to be installed in Germany. Official reason: “Prevention against terrorism”!
Your state wants to execute direct power over you, down to your very private life.
Proof: The Scientific Department of the German Parliament published in it’s SHS documentation on September 21st, 2006, that “there is no valid proof to fatalities caused by SHS”. Just 50 days later, on November 10th, 2006, the German Government announced a smoking ban for all restaurants and such places, commencing in 2007. Official reason: “To protect the non-smokers from the smokers”! Only one day later, on November 11th, 2006, Chancellor Angela Merkel announced in her weekly internet message, more video surveillance systems to be installed in Germany. Official reason: “Prevention against terrorism”!
You see? It never was about smoking …. Smoking is just a tool serving well in many different hands.
Yours,
Alexander W. Schoppmann
Managing Director
SMINTAIR LIMITED
http://smintair.com/THOUGHTS/thoughts.html
Alexander W. Schoppmann
Managing Director
SMINTAIR LIMITED
http://smintair.com/THOUGHTS/thoughts.html
Berlin Smoking Ban Hoped to Set Example for Rest of Germany
Nov 1, 2006
Berlin’s local government wants a ground-breaking ban on smoking in the city’s public buildings as well as all bars and restaurants, reviving debate on outlawing smoking across the country.
Berlin Mayor Klaus Wowereit’s Social Democrats (SPD) and their designated coalition partners, the Left Party, said this week they are pressing ahead with plans to make the German capital smoke-free.
“We’re planning a non-smoker protection bill,” said Ingeborg Junge-Reyer, an SPD leader in Berlin and member of Mayor Wowereit’s cabinet, after a round of coalition talks. She said the law could take effect as early as 2007.
“It will be a strict non-smoker protection bill. I can well imagine a complete ban along the lines of Italy or Ireland,” Junge-Reyer said.
A revolution
Until now, politicians in Berlin have only spoken about legally outlawing smoking in public buildings and hospitals. Extending that ban to the German capital’s estimated 10,000 bars and restaurants is a new proposal and one that is likely to trigger much opposition in a country known for its tolerant attitude towards smoking.
Bildunterschrift: Gro?ansicht des Bildes mit der Bildunterschrift: Smoking goes hand in hand with going out in Berlin
One in three Germans smoke, while Berlin has the highest per-capita number. Most restaurants do not offer non-smoking sections. The legislation, if passed, could indeed become something of a revolution in a country which has doggedly remained one of the last bastions for smokers in Europe.
It would also mark a sharp departure from the rest of Germany’s federal states, which have to varying degrees resisted national restrictions on tobacco. A previous effort to introduce a nationwide ban on smoking in restaurants, cafes and bars aimed at bringing Germany into line with other European nations was blocked in September by Chancellor Angela Merkel’s ruling conservatives.
A working group made up of representatives from the SPD, the conservative Christian Democratic U nion (CDU) as well as from the health and consumer protection ministry is currently exploring ways of introducing a Germany-wide anti-smoking regulation.
Setting an example
Some hope that Berlin will now lead the way for the rest of Germany when it comes to curbing public smoking.
“I hope that the other states will now realize that our fear of smoking bans is unjustified,” Sabine B?tzing, the federal drug commissioner, told Berlin daily Der Tagesspiegel. Berlin’s initiative is a “signal and support” for a nationwide regulation that’s urgently needed, B?tzing added.
Carola Reimann, a spokeswoman on health matters for the SPD parliamentary group, also said she hoped “the capital will set an example” for the rest of Germany. “If Berlin, with its thriving bar and restaurant scene, can take such a decision then it’s a signal that can’t be overlooked,” Reimann said.
Laws governing gastronomy and the hospitality industry are the prerogative of state governments in Germany.
Last bastion for smokers
Many point out that Germany’s liberal attitude to smoking is partly a reaction to Nazi anti-smoking drives. Hitler is said to have donated money in 1941 to the world’s first institute dedicated to studying the dangers of tobacco.
Bildunterschrift: Gro?ansicht des Bildes mit der Bildunterschrift: People pass over a no smoking sign in the Madrid underground
Whatever the reason for Germany’s determined resistance to anti-smoking bans, it remains the only country in the European U nion that has ignored and fought an EU ban on tobacco advertising.
Ireland imposed the world’s first nationwide public smoking ban in 2004, followed by Italy, Sweden, Scotland, Norway and Spain. France said last month it would ban smoking in public places starting next year and in bars and clubs from 2008.
