Germany became smoke-free across all 16 of its states yesterday, July 1st.
The ban is likely to be the cause of much delight among
backpacking tourists tired of spluttering their way around the last two regions to introduce the ban, North-Rhine Westphalia and Thuringia.
By contrast tourists have been smoke free in venues across Berlin since January 1st 2008.
However, visitors caught flouting the ban with a secretive puff in a bar or restaurant should be warned that they face a fine of up to €1,000 ($1,575) if caught in Berlin.
This fine can even reach €5,000 in parts of Hamburg.
But vehement anti-smokers could also be in for a nasty shock.
According to reports in Spiegel Online, authorities in the tourist-centric capital of Berlin are struggling to enforce the ban as there are not thought to be enough officers in the city.
"We don't have the capacity to send out officers to patrol the smoking ban," claimed Heinz Buschkowsky, mayor of the district of Neukolln, on RadioEins.
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