New ban to be rolled out across France in nearly all outdoor areas including beaches and parks with £114 fines
FRANCE is banning smoking in all outdoor places that children can often be found in, including beaches, parks and bus stops.
France‘s health and family minister announced on Thursday that “where there are children, tobacco must disappear”.
In an interview, Catherine Vautrin went on to explain that the restrictions will come into force on July 1.
Anyone who fails to follow the new rules could be faced with a £114 fine.
The minister added that children have the “right to clean air”.
Cigarettes will also be banned in areas close to schools, to prevent students being tempted to smoke in front of their school.
The ban, however, will not apply to cafe terraces or include electronic cigarettes.
The French government’s National Anti-Tobacco Programme for 2023-2027 proposed a smoking ban similar to the one announced by Vautrin.
The ban called for France to “rise to the challenge of a tobacco-free generation from 2032″.
However, anti-tobacco organisations raised concerns about the authorities being slow to implement the measures.
Vautrin added that there were no current places to place additional taxes on cigarettes at the moment.
The French Health Ministry is also working to “lower the permitted nicotine level” in electronic smoking devices and is aiming to “reduce the number of flavours”, reports Mail Online.
Smoking in certain venues, such as restaurants and nightclubs, is already banned in France.
Now, over 1,500 municipalities in France have agreed to ban smoking in public spaces.
The news in France follows a number of other smoking-related bans being enforced across Europe.
For example, in the UK from June 1, disposable vapes will no longer be allowed to be sold in the UK.
And in Spain, there are plans to introduce a new anti-smoking law, which includes vapes, across multiple public spaces.
Speaking to SER Radio, Spain‘s health minister, Monica Garcia said that a draft of Spain’s anti-smoking law has been virtually completed.
She added that the smoke-free area will be extended to terraces, canopies, work vehicles, university campuses, school playgrounds, sports facilities, public swimming pools and outdoor leisure areas.
The ban will apply to all conventional tobacco and vapes too.
According to the Majorca Daily Bulletin, the beaches of Muro near Alcudia in north east Majorca and Port de Sant Miquel have joined the smoke-free campaign to prevent smoking.
The campaign now has 50 beaches in the Balearic network of smoke-free beaches.
In addition, 10 beaches in Barcelona and 28 beaches in the Balearic Islands have banned the use of vapes.
In Andalucía, 61 beaches on the Canary Islands have been declared smoke-free, and 18 beaches in the Costa del Sol also have.
Also, in Costa Blanca, one in four beaches has banned smoking.
Garcia was also asked about the possibility of raising tobacco prices.
She expressed her full support, noting that pricing policy is “one of the most effective tools” in reducing tobacco consumption, Canarian Weekly reports.
Brits have also been warned after a major destination bans nicotine pouches – and visitors face ‘terrifying’ six-figure fine and jail.