From July 1, smoking will be banned in the 6 major parks of Strasbourg. This measure will subsequently be generalized to all public green spaces in the city. It was developed with the League against cancer then voted by 42 votes in favor (0 against, 0 abstentions) by the City Council, a first in France. “If we want a generation of non-smokers, it is necessary that the tobacco disappear from the eyes of the children “, estimated the deputy of the city with the Health, the Dr Alexandre Feltz, doctor specialized in addictology.
Strasbourg, a pioneer city in the fight against tobacco
Already in 2015, Strasbourg had banned smoking in all children’s play areas. This measure was then adopted at the national level. For this new measure, it is not expected that it will be applied throughout the territory. “But I hope that there will be a voluntary emulation”, declared on France Info the Minister of Health, Agnès Buzyn. “Smoking in parks poses two problems,” said the minister. First, “the exposure of children to the vision of people who smoke”, a vision which “promotes entry into smoking”. The second problem is “pollution, because butts are an unlikely source of pollution, ”she added.
A fine of 68 euros from 2019
According to the Alsatian municipality, the ban on smoking in parks is correlated with a much lower rate of smokers in other countries: 19% in Finland and Iceland, 17% in the United Kingdom, 15% in some cities Americans like Boston or New York, compared to 27% in France. Signs “tobacco-free parks” will then flourish in Strasbourg and health-tobacco mediators will meet smokers during October (the month without tobacco) in order to question them and accompany them. After an experimentation phase in 2018, the City will be able to start fining smokers from 2019, with a fine of 68 euros.
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