Changing the “normal” smoking ban outdoors would have an “important effect”.

If people see smoking less often, this is less perceived as normal behavior. “This has a significant impact on children and young people,” the facility explains.

A decision is likely to be taken next week on a European Commission recommendation to expand smoke-free zones, for example to recreational areas such as public playgrounds, amusement parks and outdoor swimming pools, as well as to bus stops and train stations.

Changing the ‘normal’.
The acceptance of smoking decreases with such measures, as the introduction of non-smoking protection laws in this country has shown, says Katrin Schaller from the cancer prevention department of the DKFZ in Heidelberg. “It was suddenly no longer normal for people to smoke everywhere and for restaurants to be full of smoke. Instead, it was normal for people to go outside and smoke.”

In this sense, a ban on smoking outdoors could help ensure that fewer young people start smoking, Schaller explains – “simply because smoking is perceived as less socially accepted and desirable.”

The European Commission’s proposal to the states is only a recommendation. The Member States are themselves responsible for health policy.

Other countries are further along
Some countries already have a smoking ban in public outdoor spaces, says Schaller. “In Australia, for example, smoking is banned on restaurant terraces in several states, and in Barcelona the beaches are smoke-free.” Such rules, which ban smoking in certain places, help some smokers think about their behavior, Schaller explains.

The results of a study on German tobacco control policies show that protective measures can be a motivation for at least some smokers to quit smoking: between 2007 and 2009, about 14 percent of smokers quit smoking. Nearly 19 percent of these ex-smokers indicate that the introduced smoking bans are a reason for them to quit smoking. And almost a third (30 percent) said the new regulations helped them avoid smoking again.

Also beneficial for smokers who continue to smoke
Another effect of legislation to protect non-smokers is that people who smoke smoke less, Schaller said. “It can be assumed that a similar effect will occur if a smoking ban is introduced outside.” Sometimes perhaps simply because smokers do not feel like leaving the cozy atmosphere on the beach or at the Christmas market for the next cigarette.

The DKFZ continued that passive smoking should not be neglected in the discussion about outdoor smoking bans. “Smoking outdoors also pollutes the ambient air with pollutants.” Although pollution outside is lower than in closed spaces, measurements on restaurant terraces have shown that tobacco smoke pollution can also be significant there.