Baden-Wuerttemberg bans smoking in parks and pools starting June

Since June, the German state of Baden-Württemberg has enforced a law banning smoking in outdoor swimming pools, playgrounds, bus stops, theme parks, and zoos. The measure includes vapes and electronic cigarettes, and eliminates hotel smoking rooms. The goal is to reduce smoke in public spaces frequented by families and children, protecting collective health.

aerial view of a German outdoor swimming pool in Baden-Württemberg, a hand holding a vape pen being stopped by a red prohibition sign with a crossed-out cigarette, children playing in shallow water in the background, a parent exhaling steam from an e-cigarette dissipating into thin air, empty hotel balcony ashtray removed, cinematic photorealistic style, bright summer sunlight, clear blue water reflections, safety signage visible, family-friendly public space, dramatic health protection message, ultra-detailed pool tiles and lifeguard chair, engineering visualization of smoke dispersion patterns fading

Vapes included in the technical smoking restriction 🚭

The law covers vaping devices and electronic cigarettes, equating them to traditional tobacco. Limited and signposted smoking areas are enabled in the affected spaces. Establishments must adapt their facilities, eliminating designated smoking areas in hotels. The technical regulation focuses on the dispersion of aerosols and particles, with studies showing that vapes also emit harmful substances in enclosed and open spaces.

Smoking at the bus stop: the new extreme sport 🚌

Now, if you are seen with a cigarette at the bus stop, you won't just miss the 38, but you risk a fine. German smokers will have to seek refuge in special zones, as if they were protected species. Of course, those who vape are also in the same boat: they can no longer pretend to exhale artificial cloud vapor with a bubblegum scent. The law turns every park bench into a smoke-free zone, even though the smell of currywurst from the canteen remains legal.