You can’t light up anywhere in France where there are children

By: Trademagazin Date: 2025. 05. 30. 09:01

Starting July 1, smoking will be banned in all outdoor public areas in France where children may be present, announced Health and Family Minister Catherine Vautrin. The ban will apply to beaches, parks, public gardens, areas in front of schools, bus stops, and sports facilities.

“Tobacco must disappear from places where children are present,” said Vautrin in an interview with Ouest-France. She added: “The freedom to smoke must end where children’s freedom to access fresh air begins.”

Outdoor terraces of cafés and bars will be exempt from the ban. However, anyone violating the new regulation will face a €135 fine. The police will monitor compliance, although authorities primarily aim to encourage self-regulation.

Electronic cigarettes are currently excluded from the ban, but the health minister intends to introduce restrictions on the amount of nicotine permitted in such products. This move is intended to protect young people, among whom vaping is increasingly popular.

Recent data shows that 23.1% of the French population smokes daily – the lowest rate ever recorded. Since 2014, the number of smokers has dropped by more than five percentage points. Nevertheless, over 75,000 people die annually in France from smoking-related diseases, accounting for 13% of all deaths.

France banned smoking inside restaurants and nightclubs back in 2008. This new measure continues that effort, with the aim of protecting children’s health and their right to clean air.

(Source: BBC, Ouest-France)