Neuchâtel wants to protect schoolchildren from passive smoking
Published: Tuesday, Jan 23rd 2024, 18:20
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Children and young people in the canton of Neuchâtel are to be better protected from the consequences of passive smoking. In future, smoking will be banned outside the entrances to pre-school and extracurricular childcare facilities and compulsory schools. The Grand Council adopted a corresponding regulation by a large majority on Tuesday.
The State Council, which was against this measure, was able to weaken it with an amendment so that secondary level 2 (grammar schools, vocational schools) and universities are not affected. Compliance with the smoking ban in the outdoor areas of all schools would require the monitoring and reinforcement of teams and would incur disproportionately high costs, explained Laurent Kurth (SP), the State Councillor responsible for health.
The government was also of the opinion that the implementation of the measure, which also applies to teachers and administrative and technical staff, would deprive them of any space in which smoking would still be permitted.
Green MP Patrick Erard, who was inspired by the latest legislation in Geneva, wanted to go even further. He had called for smoking to be banned in all public places or places accessible to minors, whether outdoors or in open spaces such as playgrounds, swimming pools or public transport stops.
©Keystone/SDA
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