France will ban smoking in beaches, parks, public gardens, and bus shelters starting Sunday, as part of a new regulation aimed at protecting the public, especially children, from the dangers of passive smoke exposure.
According to a decree published in the official government gazette on Saturday, the smoking ban will also extend to areas outside libraries, swimming pools, and schools.
However, the use of electronic cigarettes was not addressed in the document.
The penalty for breaching the new rule is a fine of 135 euros ($158).
“Tobacco must disappear from places where there are children,” said Health and Family Minister Catherine Vautrin back in May, highlighting “the right of children to breathe pure air.”
Notably, café terraces remain exempt from the new regulation.
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Tobacco use is a major health concern in France, with around 75,000 deaths attributed to smoking-related illnesses annually.
Public sentiment appears to support the crackdown, with a recent survey indicating that 62 percent of French citizens back the idea of banning smoking in public spaces.
