France is to ban smoking on all beaches, as well as in public parks, forests and near schools, after Emmanuel Macron promised to create “the first tobacco-free generation” by 2032.
“From now on, no-smoking areas will be the norm,” said the health minister, Aurélien Rousseau.
There are already 7,200 tobacco-free areas in France – including in Nice, on the French Riviera, which was the first to establish a cigarette-free beach in 2012 with the approval of France’s League Against Cancer.
The government said that instead of smoke-free areas being decided by individual local authorities, central government would introduce a nationwide ban. “We are now shifting the responsibility and establishing a principle which will become the rule,” Rousseau said.
Taxes on cigarettes will be increased, with a pack of 20, now priced at about €11 (£9.50), rising to €12 by 2025 and €13 the following year. » | Angelique Chrisafis in Paris | Tuesday, November 28, 2023
It was bad enough that the Anglo-Saxon world was working overtime to kill off the concept of joie de vivre; now, Macron’s government is also hell-bent on taking la joie out of la vie too! Clearly, the end is nigh for freedom in the West. Maybe Macron should think of changing the motto Liberté, Egalité, Fraternité into just Égalité, Fraternité, because liberty in France is clearly being eroded.
I think that this is a very unwise move on Macron’s part at this time because this could help sweep Marine Le Pen to power at the next election. Populists are already gaining strength right across the Continent anyway. This will surely help populist parties become even stronger. – © Mark Alexander
France urged to accept the science on how to stop smoking: France’s Parliamentary Office for Scientific and Technological Assessment has concluded that a drastic change in approach is required to get cigarette smokers to stop smoking, A report prepared by members of both chambers of the French Parliament recommends a risk reduction approach that offers smokers the chance to switch to much less harmful electronic cigarettes, writes Political Editor Nick Powell. »
Tabagisme : « Il faut avancer sur la voie de la réduction des risques » : Alors que les politiques publiques semblent perdre en efficacité avec le temps, des spécialistes des addictions appellent, dans une tribune au « Monde », à tenter une nouvelle stratégie d’accompagnement des fumeurs. »
Being that France (and other Western countries) are on a banning spree... just as smoking can cause cancer, so can drinking alcohol. So, why not ban alcohol, too? Why stop at smoking? Ban all sources of pleasure! Don't waste any time: Ban the bloody lot! Why not?
Alcohol and its link to cancer »
Joint statement by WHO/Europe and IARC to the European Parliament – raising awareness of the link between alcohol and cancer »
Ireland signs law requiring cancer warnings on all alcoholic beverages: The Irish government says the measure — opposed by drinks industry chiefs worldwide but cleared by EU and WTO regulators — will come into force in May 2026. »
