Sacre bleu: France will soon ban smoking in most public spaces, heath official says

What a drag.France will soon outlaw smoking across most public spaces “where there are children,” a top health official declared Thursday.The infamous cigarette-loving French won’t be allowed to light a cigarette at parks, beaches and bus stops, as well as outside schools, gardens and sporting events starting July 1, Minister of Labor, Health Solidarity and Families Catherine Vautrin said in an interview with Ouest-France.Violating the ban would cost 135 euros, or $154, she told the news outlet, according to AFP.“Tobacco must disappear where there are children,” she reportedly said, adding “the freedom to smoke must end where the freedom of children to breathe fresh air begins.”Café patios won’t be included in the ban, and e-cigarettes will not be affected by the impending law.Police will be in charge of enforcing the law, though Vautrin said she was a believer in “self-regulation,” the BBC noted, citing the same Ouest-France interview.About 23% of the French population smokes every day, the BBC reported, citing an organization in the country that analyzes data on tobacco, drugs and alcohol.Smoking in restaurants and other indoor establishments in France was prohibited in 2008.More than 1,500 municipalities have already banned smoking in public spots, with hundreds of beaches also already non-smoking, the BBC reported. ...