The minimum age for tobacco is being debated in Great Britain. The federal government’s drug commissioner also sees a “massive need for action” when it comes to smoking. You can take other countries as an example.
The federal government’s drug commissioner, Burkhard Blienert, has spoken out in favor of a much more decisive approach to tobacco consumption and spoke of a “massive need for action”. “We can take an example from the seriousness with which the issue of smoking is approached in other countries,” Blienert told the Bild newspaper.
The British government, for example, wants to make the purchase of tobacco illegal for people born after January 1, 2009. To achieve this, the minimum age, which is currently 18, is to be gradually increased. In this way, it would de facto be increased by one year every year until the entire population is affected in the long term.
Bushman against a general smoking ban
Federal Justice Minister Marco Buschmann spoke out against a smoking ban, as is being discussed in Great Britain. “I believe that adults can decide for themselves what they want to consume and what they don’t want to consume,” the FDP politician told the broadcasters RTL and ntv.
He is sticking to his position even in view of the burden on health insurance companies and society caused by complications from smoking. He is of the opinion “that we should not socialize individuals to such an extent that at some point every everyday decision is determined by the state and politics.”
Blienert is pushing for an advertising ban
The drug commissioner Blienert also referred to the traffic light government’s agreements in “Bild”. “Step number one for us is to now implement the agreements from the coalition agreement and finally ensure that cigarettes etc. are no longer allowed to be advertised and that there is no longer any sponsorship from the tobacco industry.”
According to Blienert, 127,000 people die every year as a result of smoking. “It can’t stay like this,” he said.
There has been criticism of tobacco control for a long time
Last year, the World Health Organization (WHO) confirmed that Germany was making slow progress in the fight against tobacco consumption.
Rüdiger Krech, WHO Director of Health Promotion, said at the time that one “cannot really understand” why politicians in Germany are “so lax” in implementing tobacco control measures. Internationally, however, more countries are taking action against smoking.
Eva Huber, ARD Berlin, tagesschau, April 18, 2024 8:18 a.m