03.08.2022 More and more outdoor pools across Germany are implementing smoke-free areas to keep all bathers healthy.
During the current swimming season, a clear trend can be seen in outdoor swimming pools across Germany. The creation of smoke-free areas in open-air swimming pools enables young and old bathers to have fun in the fresh air. A motion by the PULS parliamentary group in Stuttgart aims to achieve the same for the state capital’s outdoor pools. Pro Rauchfrei e.V. supports the proposal.
One man’s sorrow is another man’s joy
Every year at the start of the outdoor season, many non-smokers, whether families with small children, former smokers or senior citizens, feel marginalised as a fringe group. The reason for this is the large number of smokers who often react harshly to requests for consideration and insist on their right to develop their personality in the fresh air. However, this means that they are forcing their entire neighbourhood into passive smoking, which has been proven to cause cancer. In addition to these intolerable health disadvantages, many people find the odour extremely unpleasant.
Peaceful coexistence possible
More and more outdoor swimming pools in Germany are therefore implementing health-promoting concepts to avoid dissatisfaction and disputes among guests. The outdoor and indoor pools of the Mainz Swimming Club and the Gnarrenburg outdoor pool (Lower Saxony) are already completely smoke-free. There are now relatively many examples of outdoor pools with separate non-smoking/smoking areas, such as the outdoor pools in Frankfurt, the Schyrenbad in Munich, Mühlacker, Dachau, Dorfen, the Oberbieber family pool (Neuwied), the Rantzauer See swimming complex in Barmstedt (Pinneberg), the outdoor pools in Graz, Bad Belzig and the outdoor adventure pool in Plattling. In Rottenburg a. Neckar, smoking is at least prohibited in the covered areas, all pool surrounds, the children’s playground and the children’s area with its sunbathing lawn.
Promoting positive developments in BW
Pro Rauchfrei e.V. is currently approaching the Lord Mayor of Stuttgart in order to continue the trend recognisable throughout Germany in Baden-Württemberg. Mayor Nopper is to be made aware of the concerns of the non-smoking population and the opportunities for improvements in Stuttgart’s outdoor swimming pools.