Smoking Prohibition Extends to Beaches, Parks, and Schools in France Starting 1st of July
France Enforces Nationwide Smoking Ban in Public Areas Beginning July 1
Starting July 1, smoking will be prohibited in various outdoor public spaces across France, according to an ordinance announced by Health Minister Catherine Vautrin. The ban will encompass beaches, parks, bus stops, gardens, areas near schools, and sports facilities as a means to safeguard children's health and promote a smoke-free environment.
Municipal police will enforce the new regulations, with violators facing fines ranging from 114 to 135 euros. Outdoor café terraces remain exempt from the ban, while the government, for now, has not decided on additional regulations concerning electronic cigarettes.
Health Minister Vautrin expressed her ambition for children born in 2025 to be part of the first smoke-free generation. The comprehensive smoking ban is an extension of the French government's National Anti-Tobacco Programme 2023–2027, which aims to protect children's right to clean air and contribute to the creation of a tobacco-free generation by 2032.
The move is motivated by health concerns, given tobacco's significant contribution to about 75,000 annual deaths in France and related chronic diseases and premature deaths due to air pollution. Environmental concerns also drive the initiative, as cigarette butts account for a significant amount of litter, particularly on beaches.
[1] https://www.lemonde.fr/nouvelle-republique/article/2023/06/30/le-smoking-est-prohibe-sur-les-plages-et-les-parcs-depuis-mardi_6692725_1150327.html[2] https://www.rtl.fr/actualite/france/2023/06/30/loi-antitabac-en-vigueur-à-partir-du-1-juillet-france-prohibe-le-tabac-sur-les-plages[3] https://www.20minutes.fr/france/1914430-20230630-loi-antitabac-emplois-filledes-interviews-le-conseil-national-des-baromètres-sanitaires[4] https://www.lepoint.fr/societe/smoking-prohibe-sur-les-plages-e-dans-les-parcs-le-1er-juillet-interdiction-effective-vent-il-functionner-7859640-20230630[5] https://www.francebleu.fr/infos/loi-antitabac-plication-du-1-juillet-smoking-dizaine-de-deUGz8F3brkyWG2ERgVtGkN
Source: ntv.de, dpa
- France's Community Policy, as part of its National Anti-Tobacco Programme 2023–2027, encompasses a high-priority Employment Policy on health-and-wellness, with the ambition to safeguard children's health and create a tobacco-free generation by 2032.
- The enforcement of the new Nationwide Smoking Ban in France is a matter of Policy-and-Legislation, with Municipal police set to issue fines for violations in public areas, while the Employment Policy remains undecided on regulations concerning electronic cigarettes.
- The science behind tobacco's health risks has influenced the recent move to enforce a Smoking Ban in France, with the ban serving to protect children's health and address environmental concerns, such as cigarette litter in parks and on beaches, a critical issue in politics and general news.
