This is a historic moment. From July 1, 2025, smoking will be banned in many outdoor public spaces where children are present. Beaches, parks, public gardens, school areas, bus shelters, sports facilities: these places will become "tobacco-free sanctuaries" throughout the country, in accordance with the bill introduced by Catherine Vautrin, Minister of Labor, Health, Solidarity, and Families.
A historic measure
This decision, announced just days before World No Tobacco Day, is reminiscent of the decree of November 15, 2006, which came into effect on February 1, 2007, which amended the Évin Law to ban cigarettes in all enclosed spaces open to the public. This time, it's as much about protecting children as it is about creating "the first tobacco-free generation," the minister aims to say. The government also intends to change the social norm around cigarettes by making tobacco less visible and less accessible in places frequented by young people.
Until now, the establishment of smoke-free areas was a matter of local government. More than 1,600 municipalities and around fifty departments had already issued decrees to this effect, including on 500 beaches. But with this new decree, the measure becomes mandatory and uniform across the entire country, in consultation with the Association of Mayors of France and after consulting the Council of State.
The decree, still being finalized, will specify the exact perimeter around schools, including middle and high schools. The goal is to prevent not only parents from smoking while waiting for their children, but also teenagers from smoking in front of their schools. The areas around sports facilities, such as football pitches, are also affected. For beaches, the ban will apply primarily during the summer season. Failure to comply may result in a €135 fine.
Café and restaurant terraces are currently exempt from this ban, which is intended to focus on areas open to children. Electronic cigarettes, for their part, are not affected by this decree. It should be remembered that smoking remains the leading cause of preventable death in France, with 75,000 deaths per year, or more than 200 deaths per day. It also generates a colossal economic cost, estimated at 150 billion euros annually linked to cancers and other pathologies.
A welcomed, but debated, measure
The announcement was welcomed by anti-smoking associations, which have long called for the widespread introduction of smoke-free areas. According to a recent survey, six out of ten French people say they are in favor of a broader ban on smoking in public spaces. However, the measure is not unanimous. Some denounce it as an attack on individual freedoms, while others regret that café terraces are not affected.
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