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The author of petition 1080 writes that their goal is to protect the food and drink sectorPhoto: Kevin Grieve/Unsplash 

Online petition 1080 was first submitted to the Luxembourg parliament in July and opened to signatures on 18 September.

In it, the petitioner writes that their goal is to protect the food and drink sector. “As there is already a ban on smoking indoors, there is no reason to ban smoking on the terraces of restaurants. Anyone can choose a non-smoking place. Terraces remain the only place where businesses get customers despite the smoking ban in restaurants.”

Luxembourg banned smoking in public bars and cafés from 1 January 2014. On 1 August 2017, the ban was extended to include areas close to children’s playgrounds and vehicles in which a child aged under 12 is travelling. E-cigarettes are subject to the same restrictions. The ban was introduced to reduce the number of smokers and limit the impact of second-hand smoke on others.

This latest petition comes after a separate petition in September calling for a ban on smoking on terraces garnered 4,668 validated signatures. Petitioner Daniel Reding told Delano in September that his petition would ensure “respect for the health of others when they are outdoors, in the same way as indoors, and to avoid respiratory illnesses.”

By 23 October, petition 1080, reinforcing the right to smoke on public terraces, had reached over 4,000 signatures.

Who can sign a petition?

Anyone may sign a petition in Luxembourg provided they are aged 15 or over and have a social security card for Luxembourg. Petitions which garner 4,500 or more signatures will be debated in parliament.