Esther Salifu
Effective July 1, 2025, France will implement a nationwide ban on smoking in outdoor public areas frequented by children, including beaches, parks, bus stops, sports venues, and areas near schools. The measure aims to safeguard children’s health by reducing their exposure to tobacco smoke.
Health and Family Minister Catherine Vautrin announced the new regulations, emphasizing the government’s commitment to protecting children from the harms of secondhand smoke. “Smoking must disappear where there are children,” Vautrin stated, highlighting the importance of clean air for the younger population.
Under the new rules, individuals caught smoking in the specified areas will face fines of up to €135 ($154). However, the ban will not extend to café terraces or include electronic cigarettes.
This initiative is part of France’s broader National Anti-Tobacco Programme (2023–2027), which aims to create a tobacco-free generation by 2032. Despite a decline in daily smoking rates to approximately 23% of adults, tobacco use remains a significant public health concern in France, contributing to around 75,000 preventable deaths annually.
The new ban builds upon existing restrictions, as smoking is already prohibited in enclosed public spaces such as workplaces, airports, train stations, and playgrounds. Over 1,500 municipalities had previously introduced local bans in outdoor spaces, and the national policy now standardizes these efforts across the country.
While the move has garnered support from public health advocates and the majority of the French population, some critics argue that it infringes upon personal freedoms. Nonetheless, the government maintains that the health benefits, particularly for children, outweigh such concerns.
