France is taking a bold step to curb its long-standing struggle with smoking. A newly issued public health decree, released on Saturday, introduces sweeping restrictions aimed at discouraging tobacco use in everyday public settings. In the coming days, smoking will be prohibited in all public parks, beaches, sports venues, bus stops, and in areas surrounding schools—essentially any place where children are likely to gather.
"In France, we still have this mindset of saying, this is a law that restricts freedom," Philippe Bergerot, president of the French League Against Cancer, told the Associated Press. "The ban aims to promote what we call denormalisation. In people's minds, smoking is normal. We aren't banning smoking; we are banning smoking in certain places where it could potentially affect people's health and young people," he added.
Past laws, high prices, but persistence
It's been illegal to smoke in restaurants, bars and public buildings since a series of bans in 2007 and 2008. Ever-higher taxes mean a pack now costs upwards of 12 euros ($14). Yet more than 30% of French adults still smoke cigarettes, most of them daily, one of the highest rates in Europe and globally. The Health Ministry is particularly concerned that tobacco remains popular among young people, citing public health statistics showing that 15% of 17-year-olds smoke. Black market cigarette trading is common.
Tobacco-linked deaths spark concern
More than 200 people in France die each day of tobacco-related illness, Health Minister Catherine Vautrin said in a statement Saturday. That adds up to some 75,000 deaths per year. In a Paris park as the ban loomed, views were mixed. The government said last month that the new ban would take effect on July 1. The official decree introducing the ban was published Saturday, and a health minister's statement said that a government order specifying the perimeters set by the ban would be published in the coming days. Notably, electronic cigarettes are exempted from the new ban.
(With inputs from AP)
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