France will officially ban smoking in all open places accessible to children — including beaches, boulevards, and bus stops from July 1, 2025. This was announced by the French Minister of Health and Family Affairs, Catherine Votren here.
Smoking on the terraces of cafes, walking with a cigarette in the streets while it rains — has been famous as part of French culture. However, in recent years the country has been consistently intensifying measures against tobacco consumption in public places.
According to Votren, the new ban will cover "all places where children may be present — beaches, public gardens, school surroundings, bus stops, and sports facilities."
“Where there are children, tobacco must disappear,” said the minister in an interview with Ouest-France. According to her, the freedom to smoke "ends where the right of children to breathe clean air begins".
The ban will also be applied around schools to prevent students from smoking in front. Violators will be fined 135 euros (approximately 154 dollars).
However, according to Votren, the terraces of cafes, one of the symbols of France, will not be included in this ban. Electronic cigarettes will also not fall under this ban.
Currently, smoking is already prohibited in public places in France, such as workplaces, airports, railway stations, and children's playgrounds. Anti-tobacco activists are fighting for even broader bans.
According to the World Health Organization, about 35 percent of the French population are smokers, which is significantly higher than the average in Europe (25%) and the world (21%). It is estimated that 75,000 people die each year in the country from diseases related to tobacco.
According to a recent survey, 62 percent of the French support banning smoking in public places.
The National Anti-Tobacco Program planned by the French government for 2023–2027 also proposes such a ban, with the country aiming for a "smoke-free generation" by 2032. However, some anti-tobacco organizations accuse the government of being too lax in implementing these measures.
So far, more than 1500 towns and villages in France have banned smoking in their territories — on boulevards, along the seaside, and even on rocky cliffs.
According to Votren, there is currently no plan to introduce an additional tax on cigarette prices, since the black market has significantly increased after previous taxes were introduced.
Abdulloh Sayyid
