BERLIN, Aug. 4 (UPI) -- German politicians are calling for a comprehensive smoking law after the country's Constitutional Court partially overturned bans in several states.
The court found that individual state laws allowing bars to set up separate smoking and non-smoking areas gave large establishments an advantage over one-room pubs, Duetsche Welle reported Monday.
Germany went smoke-free in bars and restaurants this year. The law gave each state the power to craft its own anti-smoking regulations.
"It was an act of cowardice to leave protection of non-smokers up to the states, said Renate Kuenast, parliamentary co-leader of Germany's opposition Green Party.
Kuenast said the Green Party will seek a nationwide ban on the basis of worker safety which is the responsibility of the federal government.
A survey by the Bild am Sonntag newspaper published Sunday said 56 percent of respondents favored a smoking ban with exceptions.
