France made smoking sexy. Now it's banning the habit in public spaces
The country that made smoking look glamorous, sexy and cool is now going further than most in trying to stamp out the habit.
As of July 1, France will ban smoking in nearly all public spaces, including parks, beaches, public gardens and bus stops. Violations carry a fine of as much as €135, or $212, and just about the only exceptions are France's iconic café terraces and electronic cigarettes.
It's all part of a move by the country's Health Ministry to address second-hand smoke anywhere near children.
'Tobacco is poison: it kills, it costs money, it pollutes. And above all, it targets our young people,' Health Minister Catherine Vautrin said in a statement last month as she announced the new restrictions. She added: 'Our goal is clear: a generation without tobacco. And we have the means to achieve it.'
Polls show the ban has widespread support, and the number of people who smoke in France has fallen to historic lows – less than 25 per cent of adults light up.
Blowing smoke: Big Tobacco is getting a whole new generation hooked on nicotine
But for some it's still hard to imagine France going smokeless after decades of romanticizing cigarettes in film, fashion and culture.
The image of smokey Parisian cafés filled with stylish people chatting over cigarettes has been ingrained in our consciousness. And who can forget Brigitte Bardot or Catherine Deneuve lounging seductively in countless films, a cigarette dangling from their lips? Or fashion icon Coco Chanel, who reportedly smoked 50 cigarettes a day?
'The ban won't work,' said Giovanni Vannomi as he took a drag on a cigarette last week during a break from his job as a tour guide at the Louvre. 'If they try to enforce it, they are going to start another revolution here.'
Over in the Tuileries Garden, Laila Alem sat on a patch of grass with three friends, each of them enjoying the warm spring evening and a newly lit cigarette. She too was dead set against the restriction.
'I understand if it's for the children and near schools. But here, there is a big space. I don't understand why the ban is everywhere, like all the parks and not only near the children's area,' Ms. Alem said, thrusting her cigarette forward to make a point.
Sitting across from her, James Balde waved off her concerns and said the ban made sense and might even force him to stop smoking. 'It's a good idea,' he said. 'On July 1, I will quit smoking.'
But he was not convinced that many French smokers will comply. 'If you come back on July 2 or July 10, or even next year, people will be smoking here. If you don't have a policeman or security, they won't stop.'
Next to him, Catherine Guyot had a more cynical assessment of the motivation behind the ban. 'The government just needs money, that's why,' she said, referring to the fines. She also doubted that any of them would stop smoking. 'We all smoke a lot,' she said.
Across from the garden, Anthony Fontaine was far more upbeat about the measure.
'I don't think it's a bad idea,' he said as he enjoyed a cigarette while sitting on a bench outside the Louvre. 'It's going to be complicated to make it effective, especially for the French. But other than that, it's pretty positive, just to keep parks clean from those who don't really dispose of their cigarettes where they should.'
France isn't the only European country taking a tougher line on smoking.
Spain is close to adopting regulations to ban both smoking and vaping from school playgrounds, university campuses, bus shelters, outdoor entertainment venues and terraces. The Italian city of Milan has extended its already strict outdoor ban to include streets and crowded public areas. And the British Parliament is expected to approve legislation soon that the government says will create the first smoke-free generation by making it illegal for anyone 15 or younger to ever buy cigarettes.
Not surprisingly, the tobacco industry has pushed back. Cigarette makers argue sweeping prohibitions are ineffective and say it's not clear that smoking in parks or on beaches poses a major health risk to non-smokers.
Smokers visiting France this summer won't be immune from the ban or the fine, and many may find the restrictions something of a shock.
Margarita Pidrasa, who was visiting Paris from Santiago, last week, was incredulous when told that she and her husband, Alberto Labbe, would soon be unable to smoke in the square outside the Louvre. 'Where are the signs that say this?' she asked as she looked around the giant space.
They both agreed with the government's desire to protect children, but felt tourists should be better informed about the penalty.
Even if there were a 'No Smoking' sign around, Mr. Labbe said, he probably would still fire up an illicit smoke in the park or on the beach. 'No, I will keep smoking,' he said with a smile as he finished off a cigarette while standing under a shady tree. Then he dropped the butt in the dirt, ground it with his foot and headed off with his wife to rejoin their tour group.
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