The French government has implemented a new measure to address smoking in public areas. They have introduced an outdoor smoking ban aimed at creating a healthier environment for the future generation of Parisians and visitors.

Starting on July 1, France will enforce a ban on smoking in various outdoor public spaces such as beaches, parks, gardens, bus stops, sports venues, and areas near schools. This initiative is a part of the government’s efforts to reduce the impact of secondhand smoke.

Health and Family Minister Catherine Vautrin emphasized the importance of protecting children from the dangers of tobacco. She stated in an interview with a regional newspaper that “Tobacco must disappear where there are children.”

E-cigarettes are also currently excluded from the restrictions, but Vautrin told Ouest-France that her office is working on future limits to the nicotine levels allowed in vapes.

The move marks a significant expansion of France’s existing anti-smoking laws.

Smoking has already been banned in restaurants, nightclubs and indoor public places since 2008. Local efforts to restrict smoking in public spaces have been growing steadily. According to AFP, more than 1,500 French municipalities have already enacted their own outdoor smoking bans and hundreds of beaches have been smoke-free for years.

According to data from the French Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction cited by the BBC, just 23.1% of French adults smoke daily, the lowest level ever recorded and a drop of over five percentage points since 2014.

Still, tobacco-related illnesses remain a leading cause of death. France’s National Committee Against Smoking reports that more than 75,000 people die each year from smoking, around 13% of all annual deaths in the country.

Support for the new restrictions appears strong. A report from La Ligue Contre le Cancer, a prominent French cancer association, found that nearly 80% of French citizens favor smoke-free public areas like parks, beaches and woodlands.

But while many in France welcome the move, some have raised concerns over the balance between public health and personal liberty. Conservatives may see the ban as another example of top-down government overreach.

Be careful lighting up on your summer vacations in France this year as it may just get you a fine.