From July 1st, French people will no longer be allowed to smoke on beaches, in parks, and near schools. “Where children are, tobacco must disappear,” says French Minister of Public Health Catherine Vautrin.
Vautrin announced the measure in an interview with the local newspaper Ouest-France. A violation of the ban will result in a fine of 123 euros.
The minister still needs to fill in a few details. For example, it is not yet clear how large the smoke-free zone around schools will be.
It is clear that café terraces are not covered by the new rule. The ban also does not apply to electronic cigarettes.
The announcement is part of a national plan to discourage tobacco use. Paris wants a smoke-free generation by 2032.
Pending the expansion of smoke-free zones, sixteen hundred municipalities, including those in parks and on beaches, had already introduced a smoking ban themselves.
According to Vautrin, smoking costs 75,000 French lives every year. That amounts to two hundred deaths per day. Research shows that six out of ten French people are in favor of an extended ban on smoking in public spaces.