This is news we vaguely heard about last year, but let’s admit, it kind of slipped our minds. However, on Thursday, May 29, 2025, in anticipation of World No Tobacco Day happening on Saturday, May 31, the Minister of Health, Catherine Vautrin, announced new restrictions concerning tobacco consumption. In an interview with Ouest-France, she stated that smoking will be completely banned in public green spaces, on beaches, and near schools. This measure will be in effect starting July 1 of this year.
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A measure that applies to all of France
While some French municipalities had already implemented anti-smoking measures — for example, it has been forbidden to smoke on certain beaches in Biarritz, Marseille, Cannes, or Menton since 2020, and in Nice since 2012 — now, it's the entire country that is concerned. « Beaches, parks and public gardens, around schools, bus stops, and sports facilities will be, everywhere in France, smoke-free spaces », announced the Minister of Labor, Health, Solidarity, and Families. In 2023, a trial program of 7,200 smoke-free spaces was set up by Aurélien Rousseau in over 73 departments.
A fine
of 135 euros for non-compliance
The goal: to discourage as many French people as possible from smoking and to establish that « where there are children, tobacco must disappear », states Catherine Vautrin clearly. Any violation of these new rules « could lead to a 4th class fine, of 135 euros », she specifies. It's a strong measure to keep reducing the number of smokers.
In 2014, 28.5% of French people smoked daily. By 2023, that number had dropped to only 23.1%. That's a significant decrease, but still not enough when we know that smoking is the
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