Paris extends smoking ban to 52 parks and gardens
The announcement — made on May 31, World No Tobacco Day – adds 46 additional parks and gardens to a list of six parks, which were designated no-smoking zones in July 2018.
Tourists visiting Europe, especially those from North America, are often amazed it’s still possible to smoke a cigarette in a bar in many cities in Europe. Find out more about smoking in Paris below.
The measure is aimed at “reducing the number of smokers in these parks and cigarette butts thrown on the ground”, explained the directive issued by city authorities.
The French have long cherished their smokes, from Gauloises to Gitanes, and France ranks among the EU’s heaviest smoking nations. The new move to increase public health standards will be phased in, with the first few weeks of “sensitisation” set to last until early July.
During this period, parks will feature informative panels and ashtrays installed at the main entrances to the 52 selected gardens.
Following the sensitisation phase, offenders will be fined 38 euros for lighting up.
Smoking has already been banned in the 500 children’s playgrounds of Paris parks since 2015.
In February this year, Paris City Hall voted to set up one “cigarette-butt-free” street in each of its arrondissements.
In March 2004, Ireland became the first country in the world to impose an outright ban on smoking in workplaces. Since then, the EU has done its very best to ban smoking in public throughout Europe. In many countries though, smoking is such a tradition that it’s very difficult to ban it in social spots, such as bars and restaurants.
