France is set to ban smoking on all beaches, as well as in public parks, forests and near schools in order to create Emmanuel Macron’s ‘tobacco-free generation’ by 2032.
7,200 tobacco-free areas already exist in France. The Principality’s major French neighbour city, Nice was the first to establish a cigarette-free beach in 2012 with the approval of France’s League Against Cancer.
Instead of smoke-free areas being decided by individual local authorities, France’s central government seeks to introduce a nationwide ban. “From now on, no-smoking areas will be the norm,” said the French health minister, Aurélien Rousseau, adding that “we are now shifting the responsibility and establishing a principle which will become the rule.”
With this in mind, taxes on cigarettes are also set to increase, with a pack of cigarettes set to increase from 11 euros to 12 euros in 2025 and then up to 13 euros in 2026.
Single-use disposable e-cigarettes are also very much on the French government’s radar, as they are remarkably popular among young people and indefinitely impact both health and environment.
The mayor of Cannes, David Lisnard was less than impressed with the government’s decision, taking to X to say “Lots will applaud. Not me,” adding his opinion that there were already enough restrictions on freedoms.
Monaco is surrounded by exceptionally beautiful French beaches, such as Golfe Bleu in Roquebrune-Cap-Martin and Plage de Mala in Cap-d’Ail, with the latter already providing bins for cigarettes.
Featured image by Jack Brodie: Golfe Bleu beach
