the germans and smoking

lufties · 08-02-2013 07:21AM #1

I've been living in germany a while now and im astonished at how many people smoke here, its actually quite irritating walking around in public and people blowing smoke in your face at every turn, or perhaps even standing at a train stop. I was in a bar recently and the cigarette smoke was so thick it became hard to breathe..I just wondered if anyone else has experienced this. There is yet another smoking ban coming in here in may (since the last one didnt work), I read somewhere the german government takes in over 14 billion in taxes every year from tobacco companies. They way they advertise is disgraceful getting the youth hooked..For a nation of people who obssess about being prim and proper, the way the ate through fags just baffles me.

Zebra3 · 08-02-2013 07:27AM

Yeah, noticed it last time I was over in the Fatherland.

Really shocked by it too.

lufties · 08-02-2013 07:35AM

Zebra3 wrote: »

Yeah, noticed it last time I was over in the Fatherland.

Really shocked by it too.

Its sickening really, seeing groups of teenagers puffing away, and coming home from a night out reeking..rauchen verboten seems to mean jack **** here, which is very disrespectful...at least fianna fail did something right by bringing in the ban at home.

Hasmunch · 08-02-2013 07:35AM

the german government takes in over 14 billion in taxes every year from tobacco companies

I think you may have solved Irelands finanical problems.... lets get all the kids hooked on smoking :pac:

DEFTLEFTHAND · 08-02-2013 07:36AM

Hitler had a public smoking ban in place during the 40's and had a desire to completely restrict the sale of tobacco in the country. I wonder could that someway be connected to the failure and widespread non enforcement of the last ban. It's still caught up in the old German psyche maybe.

Although I've found cigarette smoking to be still very common place on the continent anyway.

Martyn1989 · 08-02-2013 07:39AM

I've been living in Calgary for almost 3 months now and I'm surprised how many people smoke here too, it seems almost everyone does.

Lucena · 08-02-2013 07:50AM

lufties wrote: »

My thoughts exactly, hitler was a teetotler and and a vegetarian so maybe there's why beer is had for brekkie in munich along with so many types of sausage lol

"citation needed"

lufties · 08-02-2013 07:51AM

Lucena wrote: »

"citation needed"

Whats a citation?

EoghanIRL · 08-02-2013 08:08AM

I remember when the exchange students came over , they had to be told that they can't smoke on school grounds.

hfallada · 08-02-2013 08:15AM

Something like 35-40% of Germans smoke. One thing I was shocked about Germany was the fact that about half the signs at bus stops were for ciragettes.

But even in lidl and aldi where they sell chocolate bars and blank CDs at the side of the till. In German they sell cigarettes which in 2009 were like €3,50 for a packet. People buy them by the carton.

But it's the same in Austria. Cigarettes are sold everywhere and everyone smokes young or old

crockholm · 08-02-2013 08:16AM

Just adds to the diversity of this wonderful continent

ledgebag1 · 08-02-2013 08:19AM

lufties wrote: »

Its sickening really, seeing groups of teenagers puffing away, and coming home from a night out reeking..rauchen verboten seems to mean jack **** here, which is very disrespectful...at least fianna fail did something right by bringing in the ban at home.

Brill

Parsandeman · 08-02-2013 08:20AM

You can't beat the cigarettes. I'm having one now in bed.

stretchdoe · 08-02-2013 08:23AM

They like an oul' smoke, the Germans.

mandrake04 · 08-02-2013 08:23AM

It's the same in Japan, you go into to a restaurant or bar and they are smoking the faces off themselves without any sort of restriction. But get this they are not allowed to smoke while walking in the open public and have to smoke in special designated smoking areas which is just painted on the street.

Same in china there is very few restrictions on smoking and its very popular.

Big Nasty · 08-02-2013 08:34AM

OP, would ya go an sh1te.

gallag · 08-02-2013 08:43AM

MCMLXXV wrote: »

OP, would ya go an sh1te.

What a strange saying, why would it cause you joy for said poster to void his bowels?

Roger_007 · 08-02-2013 08:44AM

mandrake04 wrote: »

It's the same in Japan, you go into to a restaurant or bar and they are smoking the faces off themselves without any sort of restriction. But get this they are not allowed to smoke while walking in the open public and have to smoke in special designated smoking areas which is just painted on the street.

Same in china there is very few restrictions on smoking and its very popular.

How come Japan has the longest life expectancy in the world? Either the perception that they are smoking the faces off themselves is wrong or the effect of smoking rates on life expectancy is wrong.

osarusan · 08-02-2013 09:20AM

i live in tokyo - the smoking rate is about 34% of men and 12% of women. The typical diet is very healthy though, with green tea containing a lot of anticarcinogens.

And the thing about not smoking on the street is that while people chan choose to go into a bar or restaurant, or not go into one, everybody has to walk on the street, and shouldn't be exposed to smoke without having made the choice.

Royale with Cheese · 08-02-2013 09:29AM

I lived in Germany for a year. Only time I ever smoked, everybody does it so its easy to get roped in. I managed to knock it on the head though early on when I realised I was developing a habit.

HandsomeJonny · 08-02-2013 09:35AM

lufties wrote: »

I've been living in germany a while now and im astonished at how many people smoke here, its actually quite irritating walking around in public and people blowing smoke in your face at every turn, or perhaps even standing at a train stop. I was in a bar recently and the cigarette smoke was so thick it became hard to breathe..I just wondered if anyone else has experienced this. There is yet another smoking ban coming in here in may (since the last one didnt work), I read somewhere the german government takes in over 14 billion in taxes every year from tobacco companies. They way they advertise is disgraceful getting the youth hooked..For a nation of people who obssess about being prim and proper, the way the ate through fags just baffles me.

What bar were you in? And in what part of Germany. It might vary by Bundesland but I live in Bavaria and there is virtually a blanket smoking ban indoors unless you join a smoking club. In fact when skiing season starts or whenever you are likely to travel to Austria you remember what its like to be in a smoking bar. Austria is definitely way more relaxed but in Bavaria as far as I can see you cannot smoke anywhere in pubs or work or bars.

I thought the ban implementation was a complete success in Germany.

Annasopra · 08-02-2013 09:42AM

Lucena wrote: »

"citation needed"

Are you a wikipedia mod?

jester77 · 08-02-2013 09:46AM

The main reason that the smoking bans never worked is because these decisions are not made at a national level but at state level. Every state tried to enforce different rules and it ended up being a mess. For example, some states wanted an exception to allow smoking in beer tents, others didn't. Bars got around it by setting themselves up as private clubs with memberships. The whole thing fell apart after about 6 months. The only rule that seems to have worked is the smoking ban in eating establishments. Any bar/restaurant that serves food must have a separate room for smokers. But in saying that I've been in a few places that serve food and people were smoking away. It just isn't enforced.

It's just too easy to get cigarettes here, there are vending machines on nearly every street corner and a pack costs less than €5. One thing that always amazes me is that in all my years living here I have never once seen a vandalised cigarette vending machine, if it was Ireland you could be fairly sure that it would be pulled apart fairly quick.

Shenshen · 08-02-2013 09:47AM

I haven't been back in Germany in rather a long time now, but it's sad to hear things haven't changed.
Ever since the smoking ban came into effect, I really, really, REALLY hated going out in Germany. I hadn't even noticed before how much you stank afterwards, and how much it aggravated hangovers, not to mention how it would give me sore throats for a day or two each time.
And the difference between Ireland and Germany was just too crass.

Shame it hasn't improved.

spankysue · 08-02-2013 09:47AM

I went to Germany when I was 16 and there were cigarette vending machines everywhere, went for a walk in a forest one day and there was even one at the entrance :eek:

Roger_007 · 08-02-2013 09:57AM

Shenshen wrote: »

I haven't been back in Germany in rather a long time now, but it's sad to hear things haven't changed.
Ever since the smoking ban came into effect, I really, really, REALLY hated going out in Germany. I hadn't even noticed before how much you stank afterwards, and how much it aggravated hangovers, not to mention how it would give me sore throats for a day or two each time.
And the difference between Ireland and Germany was just too crass.

Shame it hasn't improved.

If you were going to have a hangover anyway, it means you were drinking too much. Maybe you stank as much from the drink as from the smoke. Do you not know that the alcohol is just as bad for you as the smoke.

munchkin_utd · 08-02-2013 09:58AM

the smoking ban is regional as thats the way things work in Germany with cultural heath and education issues.
(aside: the amount of power in local and regional governments is why the germans dont give a crap about a prospective federal europe as so much affecting the citizen is nothing to do with central government let alone europe.)

Anyhow, in Bavaria its an irish style ban with no smoking anywhere and its properly enforced (abeit after 11 in some small bars I have experienced a "lock in" where the ash trays come out to avoid annoying the neighbours with folks smoking on the street! )

in Berlin on the other hand the politicans are some class of cool hippies that take pride in being inept (example - the airport now costing billions extra and no clue of when it will be finished) so their liberal attitude to cash and balancing budgets also extends to lifestyle choices like allowing smoking and folks inflicting passive smoking on the population whether they want it or not.

newmug · 08-02-2013 10:06AM

Whenever I think of Germans and smoking, Veronica Moser pops into my head. I equate the two. Dont Google image her!!!!

Wibbs · 08-02-2013 10:14AM

mango salsa wrote: »

Are you a wikipedia mod?

to be fair nearly every time Toothbrush tash Godwin boy is mentioned its followed by "was a vegetarian and teetotaler" when he was neither. He was anti smoking though.

The other thread hereabouts asking does advertising work should look at the change in attitude to smoking. Folks who a generation ago would have been all too happy to spark up themselves, will now be upset, nay come down with evangelical disgust, by a whiff of the stuff caught in passing on the street. Like a nation of reformed whore smokers*.

Course it's the same advertising that got people hooked on sticking burning leaves in their mouths in the first place. I find it fascinating myself.

The attitude to the catholic church another meme change, though that changed by grassroots/media "advertising" rather than business. Complete turnabout within a generation. From a nation happy to bend to the cassock and the bell at every opportunity to it being blamed for all our ills. We as a culture seem to be quite the dab hand at these turnabouts for some reason. You'd think we'd be a charm for totalitarianism to kick off here, but it never really did. Maybe because we switch so radically, so quickly, it couldn't last long.

*they'll even get sniffy about those vaping things, where there is zero risk from second hand smoke, but something of the demon weed remains and that's enough.

Franticfrank · 08-02-2013 10:14AM

there is virtually a blanket smoking ban indoors unless you join a smoking club

This is the real problem. Even in regions where smoking is banned in pubs and restaurants, you can apply to turn your premises into a 'smoking club' to get around it. And a huge amount of places do this in Germany. It's really at the point where if you go for a night out, you never know which pubs are full of smokers and which ones aren't.

Really, for a country lauded for its efficiency and organisation, its embarrassing that they still haven't managed to ban smoking nationwide. Even if decisions are taken at federal level, they need to hang their heads in shame. There's still smoking ads on billboards, at bus stops and in cinemas. Even ridiculous ads like the current Marlboro campaign with tagline "Don't Be a Maybe" which makes no sense at all. And the price is madly cheap. Some Germans came over to Ireland and nearly got a heart attack when they realised they had to pay twice as much for their fags. That stopped them smoking fairly quickly...at least until they got back to the Fatherland.

listermint · 08-02-2013 10:19AM

Wibbs wrote: »

to be fair nearly every time Toothbrush tash Godwin boy is mentioned its followed by "was a vegetarian and teetotaler" when he was neither. He was anti smoking though.

The other thread hereabouts asking does advertising work should look at the change in attitude to smoking. Folks who a generation ago would have been all too happy to spark up themselves, will now be upset, nay come down with evangelical disgust, by a whiff of the stuff caught in passing on the street. Like a nation of reformed whore smokers*. Course it's the same advertising that got people hooked on sticking burning leaves in their mouths in the first place. I find it fascinating myself.

The attitude to the catholic church another meme change, though that changed by grassroots/media "advertising" rather than business. Complete turnabout within a generation. From a nation happy to bend to the cassock and the bell at every opportunity to it being blamed for all our ills. We as a culture seem to be quite the dab hand at these turnabouts for some reason. You'd think we'd be a charm for totalitarianism to kick off here, but it never really did. Maybe because we switch so radically, so quickly, it couldn't last long.

*they'll even get sniffy about those vaping things, where there is zero risk from second hand smoke, but something of the demon weed remains and that's enough.

Well forget the Demon weed part. This stuff is rammed with Nicotine and they are bloody crazy addictive. Which is why they are fast becoming so popular. We dont know what sort of effects these things have yet so i wouldnt just wash that aside with humour.

the germans and smoking

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