Bavaria’s parliament on Wednesday loosened the regulations on a smoking ban that was instituted 18 months ago.

From August 1, smokers will be allowed to light up in pubs smaller than 75 square metres. Restaurants and beer tents that create smoking sections in side rooms will also be open to tobacco lovers. The health ministry may also allow smoking at establishments that can ensure limited second-hand smoke with special ventilations systems. Children will not be admitted into the smoking areas.
A loophole in the smoking ban of last year created a wave of members-only smoking clubs, but the new law no longer allows these. “The vast majority of the smoking clubs showed us that the previous law would fail,” health minister Markus Söder told news agency DDP. He  said that the new law reflects reality and Bavaria’s “live and let live” attitude. (pi)