Overview

• The governments of North Rhine-Westphalia and Lower Saxony have refiled an amendment to the Federal Non-Smoker Protection Act to prohibit smoking in vehicles when minors or pregnant women are present.
• The Bundesrat is scheduled to consider the measure on September 26, after which the proposal would move to the Bundestag if approved.
• The draft argues that closed cabins create acute exposure, citing DKFZ measurements of PM2.5 levels exceeding 2,500 µg/m³ after a single cigarette and documented risks from lung damage to increased cancer incidence.
• Earlier versions contemplated fines of roughly €500 to €3,000 to deter violations, though the current submission does not fix specific penalties.
• The push has drawn criticism over personal freedom and enforceability from FDP and Union voices, while backers point to existing bans in countries such as the UK, France, Italy, Belgium and Austria, as well as parts of the USA and Australia.