France is rolling out sweeping new restrictions on smoking in public spaces in a bid to tackle one of the country’s most stubborn health challenges.
More than 200 people die each day in France from tobacco-related illness, Health Minister Catherine Vautrin said on Saturday – a stark figure that underlines the government’s latest push to clear the air.
A new decree, published at the weekend, will see smoking banned in all public parks, beaches, sports grounds and at bus stops from this Sunday.
The rules will also apply near schools and in other public areas where children might gather.
The move is part of a wider effort to reduce smoking-related harm, with Vautrin describing tobacco use as a major public health challenge.
France currently sees around 75,000 tobacco-related deaths each year.
Posting on X, Vautrin stated: "Starting this Sunday, new tobacco-free zones will be officially established throughout France ... This is a decisive step in our commitment to protecting our children and building a tobacco-free generation."
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Tackling the sterotype
The new rules come as part of a broader campaign to curb smoking in a country where tobacco has long been culturally embedded – glorified in cinema and often associated with a certain French flair.
Despite existing bans in bars, restaurants and public buildings since 2007–2008, smoking remains common, with over 30 percent of adults still lighting up regularly – among the highest rates in Europe.
The Health Ministry is particularly concerned about young people. Around 15 percent of 17-year-olds still smoke, and black-market sales of cigarettes continue to be a problem.
Philippe Bergerot, president of the French League Against Cancer, said the aim is not to punish smokers, but to “denormalise” the habit. “In people’s minds, smoking is normal,” he said. “We’re not banning smoking altogether – just in certain places where it could affect people’s health or influence young people.”
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Mixed reactions
Still, reactions to the new measures have been mixed. In a Paris park, Natacha Uzan said she supported the ban in restaurants but felt the move outdoors might be going too far. “Now outside, in parks, I find it becoming a bit repressive.”
But for Anabelle Cermell, mother to a 3-month-old baby, the change is welcome. “I tell myself, oh, it’s really not ideal for him,” she said. “But there’s not much I can do about it, unless I avoid the bus or parks altogether.”
The government had initially announced the new rules would take effect on 1 July, but Saturday’s decree makes it official ahead of that date, with further guidance on the specific zones to follow shortly.
Importantly, electronic cigarettes will not be covered by the new restrictions.
Elsewhere in Europe, some countries have gone further still.
The UK and Sweden have already tightened public smoking rules, while Spain is planning to ban smoking on café and restaurant terraces – areas not included in France’s latest measures.
(With Wires)
