Latest news with #Ouest-France
See - Sada Elbalad
20 hours ago
- Health
- See - Sada Elbalad
France Bans Smoking on Beaches, in Public Parks
Israa Farhan The French government has announced plans to ban smoking in public beaches, parks, school fronts, and other outdoor public spaces from 1 July. The move aims to protect children and follows similar restrictions introduced across Europe amid growing public opposition to smoking. The ban will exclude open-air café terraces and will not apply to electronic cigarettes. Scientific studies have shown significant public health benefits from prohibiting smoking in public areas. Health and Family Minister Catherine Vautrin told *Ouest-France* newspaper, 'Tobacco must disappear wherever children are present.' She added , 'From 1 July, beaches, public parks, playgrounds, school grounds, bus shelters, and sports facilities across France will be smoke-free, banning smoking in these areas to safeguard our children.' Tobacco kills around 200 people daily in France, officials noted. A recent report from the French Observatory for Drugs and Addiction revealed that smoking rates in the country have reached historic lows. The report indicated that fewer than one in four people aged 18 to 75 smoke daily, the lowest rate since records began in the late 1990s. France follows the example of the UK, which implemented a similar ban last year, while certain Spanish regions have already prohibited smoking on beaches. Sweden has banned smoking in outdoor areas of restaurants, bus stops, train platforms, and schoolyards since 2019. read more Gold prices rise, 21 Karat at EGP 3685 NATO's Role in Israeli-Palestinian Conflict US Expresses 'Strong Opposition' to New Turkish Military Operation in Syria Shoukry Meets Director-General of FAO Lavrov: confrontation bet. nuclear powers must be avoided News Iran Summons French Ambassador over Foreign Minister Remarks News Aboul Gheit Condemns Israeli Escalation in West Bank News Greek PM: Athens Plays Key Role in Improving Energy Security in Region News One Person Injured in Explosion at Ukrainian Embassy in Madrid News Ayat Khaddoura's Final Video Captures Bombardment of Beit Lahia News Australia Fines Telegram $600,000 Over Terrorism, Child Abuse Content Sports Former Al Zamalek Player Ibrahim Shika Passes away after Long Battle with Cancer Sports Neymar Announced for Brazil's Preliminary List for 2026 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers News Prime Minister Moustafa Madbouly Inaugurates Two Indian Companies Arts & Culture New Archaeological Discovery from 26th Dynasty Uncovered in Karnak Temple Business Fear & Greed Index Plummets to Lowest Level Ever Recorded amid Global Trade War Arts & Culture Zahi Hawass: Claims of Columns Beneath the Pyramid of Khafre Are Lies News Flights suspended at Port Sudan Airport after Drone Attacks News Shell Unveils Cost-Cutting, LNG Growth Plan
Yahoo
a day ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Tourists, Residents Could Face Fines Under New French Smoking Ban
If you're heading to France this summer, strolling through sun-dappled Parisian gardens, lounging on the Côte d'Azur, or hiking the Alpine trails, there's a new policy you should be aware applying to both travelers and locals alike. Starting July 1, France is laying down one of its most expansive public smoking bans yet, and it will change the way travelers experience many of the country's iconic outdoor spaces. French Health Minister Catherine Vautrin announced on Thursday, May 29th during an interview with the newspaper Ouest-France that smoking will be banned in public parks, beaches, around schools, at bus shelters, and even at outdoor sports facilities, effectively outlawing cigarettes in most open-air communal spots. The public health regulation is part of the government's aggressive push to protect youth and create what they call a 'tobacco-free generation' by 2032. Cigarettes "must disappear where there are children,' Vautrin told Ouest-France, just ahead of World No Tobacco Day on May 31. And although the ban doesn't apply to vaping, Vautrin emphasized that 'The freedom to smoke ends where children's right to breathe clean air begins.' For American and international travelers used to more liberal smoking laws, particularly in outdoor settings, the ban may come as a surprise. While it won't affect smoking in private spaces like hotel balconies or designated smoking areas at restaurants and bars, public places once synonymous with leisure (think: the sands of Nice, or the green lawns of Jardin du Luxembourg) will now become smoke-free zones. This includes areas outside middle and high schools, a frequent gathering spot for teenagers. 'We want to stop students from lighting up in front of their schools,' Vautrin emphasized, a nod to growing concerns over youth smoking rates. The penalty for breaking the new rule could grant you a €135 fine, which is about $145 USD. The move is part of the country's 2023–2027 National Tobacco Control Program, initially launched by former Health Minister Aurélien Rousseau. France is aiming to drastically reduce smoking rates, which despite decades of anti-smoking campaigns, remain among the highest in Western Europe. As of now nearly 7,000 smoke-free zones have been voluntarily implemented by over 1,600 cities and towns across the country, from beach resorts to ski stations. The upcoming decree will make many of these local efforts official, unifying the policy under national law. Expect prominent signage at beaches, bus stops, and parks informing you of the smoking ban. While enforcement may vary regionally (particularly in rural areas or smaller towns), Vautrin noted that local mayors were involved in the rollout, and most urban centers are likely to enforce the law rigorously. For smokers, this may mean adjusting your habits or planning for fewer smoke breaks while sightseeing. For non-smokers, especially families with young children it could make for a more pleasant, and a cleaner travel experience. Enbref, or in short, as the French would say. This summer, France is redefining what it means to "breathe easy in public." Whether you're a pack-a-day traveler or just someone looking for fresh mountain air in Chamonix, know that the landscape might be the same, but the quality of air will be better. Pro tip: If you still plan to indulge in a post-lunch smoke, simply scope out designated smoking areas ahead of time or check with your hotel concierge. It'll save you from an unexpected €135 fine. Money, that can be better spent on a proper Bordeaux or an unforgettable rendezvous at Hotel du Palais. Tourists, Residents Could Face Fines Under New French Smoking Ban first appeared on Men's Journal on May 30, 2025
Express Tribune
a day ago
- Health
- Express Tribune
France bans smoking in public to protect kids
France will ban smoking in all outdoor places that can be accessed by children, including beaches, parks and bus stops, the health and family minister announced Thursday. Famed as a country where smokers linger over cigarettes on cafe terraces or strolling down cobblestone streets, France has increasingly tightened restrictions on tobacco use in public spaces in recent years. The new ban, which will enter into force on July 1, will cover all spaces where children could be present, including "beaches, parks, public gardens, outside of schools, bus stops and sports venues", said the minister Catherine Vautrin. "Tobacco must disappear where there are children," Vautrin said in an interview published by the regional Ouest-France daily on its website. The freedom to smoke "stops where children's right to breathe clean air starts," she said. The ban will also extend to schools, to stop students smoking in front of them. Offenders face a fine of up to 135 euros ($154), Vautrin said. The ban will not extend to France's iconic cafe terraces however, the minister said. Electronic cigarettes, which have boomed in France in recent years, are also not covered. France already forbids smoking in public spaces such as workplaces, airports and train stations, as well as playgrounds. Anti-smoking groups had been fighting for a broader ban. An estimated 35 per cent of France's population are smokers — higher than the averages for Europe (25 per cent) and the world (21 per cent), according to the World Health Organisation. Around 75,000 people are estimated to die from tobacco-related complications each year in France. According to a recent opinion survey, six out of 10 French people (62 per cent) favour banning smoking in public places. Vautrin said there were no plans to place additional taxes on cigarettes "at the moment", citing the thriving black market that emerged after existing taxes were introduced in a bid to discourage smoking. afp
Global News
2 days ago
- Health
- Global News
France bans smoking in nearly all outdoor public spaces
Puff, puff… passé? In a move to protect its youngest citizens, France has announced it will enact a nationwide ban on smoking in all outdoor places that can be frequented by children, meaning your dreams of lounging in a French park with a cigarette are about to go up in smoke. 'Where there are children, tobacco must disappear,' French Minister of Health and Family Catherine Vautrin told Ouest-France on Thursday, adding that the freedom to smoke 'ends where children's right to breathe fresh air begins.' Les espaces sans tabac seront élargis aux lieux qui accueillent des enfants partout en France à partir du 1 juillet. Une génération sans tabac, c'est possible et ça commence maintenant ! — Catherine Vautrin (@CaVautrin) May 29, 2025 Story continues below advertisement The ban, which will come into effect July 1, extends to parks, bus stops and areas near schools, the French health ministry said Friday, in a move to 'denormalize tobacco and limit its attractiveness.' Get daily National news Get the day's top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day. Sign up for daily National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy People caught violating the ban will face fines of up to 135 euros (C$210). 1:53 U.K. proposes cigarette ban that would phase out smoking by 2040 And while France is often viewed as a country where smoking is à la mode — it's not hard to picture people lighting up on a Parisian terrace or cobblestone street — the country has enacted increasing restrictions on tobacco use in recent years. Smoking bans in places like playgrounds, airports, train stations, nightclubs, restaurants and workplaces are already in effect. As well, hundreds of beaches across France have been non-smoking for several years. That said, France's iconic café terraces are exempt from the new ban, as are electronic cigarettes. Story continues below advertisement Currently, no decision has been made on banning the sales of cigarettes to youth under 18, Vautrin said, but the country is 'not ruling anything out for the future.' When asked about a tobacco tax hike, she said that's not on the table right now. According to the French Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction, 23 per cent of the French population smokes on a daily basis. France's National Committee Against Smoking says more than 75,000 smokers die each year of tobacco-related illnesses — 13 per cent of all deaths.
MTV Lebanon
2 days ago
- Health
- MTV Lebanon
30 May 2025 13:40 PM France to Ban Outdoor Smoking in Most Public Places
France will ban smoking in all outdoor places that can be accessed by children, including beaches, parks and bus stops, the health and family minister announced Thursday. Famed as a country where smokers linger over cigarettes on cafe terraces or strolling down cobblestone streets, France has increasingly tightened restrictions on tobacco use in public spaces in recent years. The new ban, which will enter into force on July 1, will cover all spaces where children could be present, including "beaches, parks, public gardens, outside of schools, bus stops and sports venues", said the minister Catherine Vautrin. "Tobacco must disappear where there are children," Vautrin said in an interview published by the regional Ouest-France daily on its website. The freedom to smoke "stops where children's right to breathe clean air starts," she said. The ban will also extend to schools, to stop students smoking in front of them. Offenders face a fine of up to 135 euros ($154), Vautrin said. The ban will not extend to France's iconic cafe terraces however, the minister said. Electronic cigarettes, which have boomed in France in recent years, are also not covered. France already forbids smoking in public spaces such as workplaces, airports and train stations, as well as playgrounds. Anti-smoking groups had been fighting for a broader ban. An estimated 35 percent of France's population are smokers -- higher than the averages for Europe (25 percent) and the world (21 percent), according to the World Health Organization. Around 75,000 people are estimated to die from tobacco-related complications each year in France. According to a recent opinion survey, six out of 10 French people (62%) favour banning smoking in public places. The government's National Anti-Tobacco Programme for 2023 to 2027 proposed a smoking ban similar to the one announced by Vautrin, calling France to "rise to the challenge of a tobacco-free generation from 2032". But anti-tobacco organisations had voiced concern the authorities were dragging their feet on implementing the measures. More than 1,500 cities and villages had already imposed their own bans on smoking in public spaces such as parks, beaches and ski slopes. Vautrin said there were no plans to place additional taxes on cigarettes "at the moment", citing the thriving black market that emerged after existing taxes were introduced in a bid to discourage smoking.
