• France bans smoking in parks, beaches, and bus shelters effective June 29, 2025.
• The decree aims to protect children from passive smoke exposure.
• Violators could face fines of €135 (approximately $150).
• Public opinion supports the ban, with 62% of French favoring smoking restrictions.
• The law does not cover electronic cigarettes or café terraces.

As of June 29, 2025, France has implemented a ban on smoking in public parks, beaches, bus shelters, and around areas frequented by children, including libraries and swimming pools. The measure is aimed predominantly at protecting minors from the hazards associated with passive smoking, according to Dawn, Channel News Asia, Le Monde, and NPR.

The ban, supported by Health and Family Minister Catherine Vautrin, prohibits smoking in areas where children are present and specifies that violators could face fines up to €135. This measure is part of a broader effort to establish a tobacco-free generation by 2032, which aligns with increasing public support for smoking restrictions, with polls indicating that around 62% of the population favors such measures, according to Le Monde and Dawn.

While the law has been welcomed by many, critics have pointed out that it does not include electronic cigarettes and does not apply to café terraces, where many continue to smoke in defiance. "Tobacco must disappear from places where there are children," Vautrin has stated, emphasizing the importance of clean air in spaces meant for "play, learn, and breathe," according to Channel News Asia and NPR.

The initiative arrives at a time when smoking rates in France are steadily declining; approximately 23% of adults reported daily smoking in 2023, according to findings from NPR and Le Monde. Yet, smoking still leads to around 75,000 deaths annually in France, highlighting the ongoing need for stringent health measures.