France to ban smoking on beaches, parks and school grounds

The French government announced on Thursday, 29, that it will ban cigarettes in open public places where there may be children, such as beaches, parks, school areas, bus stations and sports venues, starting July 1.

“Where there are children, tobacco must disappear,” said Health and Families Minister Catherine Vautrin in an interview published on the website of local newspaper Ouest-France.

Violating the rule carries a fine of 135 euros (R$867) , said Vautrin, who believes that the freedom to smoke “ends where children’s right to breathe clean air begins.”

In addition to nursery and primary schools, high schools and colleges remain included in the areas where smoking is prohibited. The measure aims to prevent students from smoking in front of the establishments. The ban, however, does not include café terraces, for example.

It is worth remembering that electronic cigarettes are also not included in the new measure, but Minister Vautrin has already said that she intends to impose limits on the amount of nicotine present in these products.

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Cigarettes have declined in France, but are still a problem

This is a new general rule that should have come into force in 2024, but which lacked a final decree to make it official. Several French municipalities have already voluntarily banned smoking in public places.

According to the French Drug and Addiction Monitoring Center, more than 20% of the French population smokes daily. Despite the high incidence, the country has significantly reduced the number of smokers over the years, mainly by imposing regulatory measures to discourage consumption.

Tobacco addiction causes 75,000 deaths annually in France and, according to a survey by La Ligue Contre le Cancer, 80% of French people are in favor of banning cigarettes in public places.