Abuja: France is set to enforce a new ban on smoking in various public outdoor areas, including beaches, parks, school zones, bus stops, and sports facilities, starting July 1. This move is part of a broader national initiative aimed at protecting children from exposure to tobacco.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, Health Minister Catherine Vautrin emphasized the necessity of removing tobacco from areas frequented by children. The minister also announced plans to lower nicotine content in vaping products and limit the number of available flavors. Violators of the new smoking restrictions will face a fine of 135 euros (approximately 153 U.S. dollars), with municipal police tasked with monitoring compliance.
Vautrin’s ambitious goal is to ensure that children born in 2025 become the first smoke-free generation. While many of the new smoking restrictions were already implemented at local levels, the nationwide enforcement aims to strengthen this vision. Notably, the ban does not extend to outdoor seating at caf©s or the use of e-cigarettes, although smoking near schools will be curtailed. The exact size of the smoke-free area around schools is still under consideration, with the intention of preventing students from leaving school premises to smoke.
In 2023, 15.6 percent of 17-year-olds in France reported smoking, a significant decrease from twice that number a decade earlier. Despite the decline, smoking remains the leading preventable cause of death in the country, accounting for 75,000 deaths annually. Vautrin highlighted the proven effectiveness of prevention in reducing smoking risks and pointed out the substantial economic burden, with cancer costing France 150 billion euros each year.
She stressed that while the right to smoke is not being abolished, the freedom to smoke ends where a child’s right to clean air begins. Individuals will retain the liberty to smoke at home or in designated smoking areas, ensuring the new regulations balance personal freedom with public health concerns.