Smoking Banned in All Child-Frequented Public Spaces Starting July 1st

The French government is taking a decisive new step in its anti-smoking campaign. Beginning July 1, 2025, smoking will be prohibited in a wide range of public spaces nationwide, including beaches, parks, areas near schools, bus stops, and sports facilities. The goal is clear: to protect children from a deadly habit responsible for 75,000 deaths annually in France.

“Where there are children, tobacco must disappear,” declared Catherine Vautrin, Minister of Labour, Health, Solidarity and Families. The new ban is part of a broader national plan to create the “first tobacco-free generation.”

Offenders Face a €135 Fine

The measure will be formalized through a decree currently being finalized, particularly to define the exact boundaries around schools. Until now, such bans were mostly decided by local authorities. Enforcement will now be ensured by the police, with violators facing a €135 fine (a fourth-category offence).

Widespread Smoke-Free Zones

As of 2024, about 500 French beaches had already banned smoking, with Nice being the first city to do so back in 2012. This national expansion aims to standardize protections across all areas frequented by children and families.

The new rules specifically target school surroundings to prevent both parents and students from smoking near educational institutions. This move also highlights a paradox: while minors are legally banned from purchasing tobacco, smoking itself remains legal for them—a contradiction the government may address in the future. “Nothing is off the table,” said the minister, though no immediate changes to the law have been announced.

E-Cigarettes Not Included—For Now

Electronic cigarettes are not included in the current ban. However, the government is preparing separate regulations, aiming to reduce both nicotine levels and the number of available e-liquid flavours by the end of the first half of 2026.

Though teen smoking has significantly declined in recent years—according to France’s Observatory for Drugs and Addictive Behaviours (OFDT)—officials are eager to accelerate this trend. The objective is clear: make public spaces smoke-free and safer for the next generation.