In the northern Italian city of Milan, the ban on smoking in public spaces has been tightened since January 1. According to the town hall, this will protect people, including children, from passive smoking in public places and will also improve the air quality in the city. TASR informs about it according to the AFP agency and the France24 website.
Violation of the new ban is punishable by a fine of 40 to 240 euros and does not apply to electronic cigarettes. It applies to “all public spaces, including streets” with the exception of “isolated places where it is possible to maintain a distance of at least 10 meters from other people”.
“In my opinion, the new ban is excessive. I agree that I will not smoke in closed spaces, I will not smoke near the elderly or children, but the ban on smoking outdoors limits a person’s freedom to some extent,” said local plumber Morgan Ishak, 46, before the ban. Milan is among the European cities with the most polluted air, and cigarette smoke “like any combustion contributes to the formation of fine particles”. said Anna Scavuzzová, Deputy Mayor of Milan.
“It’s overkill. If we’re talking about an enclosed space, I agree. Smoking is annoying and not healthy. But in the open I see no reason why it should be restricted,” said sales representative Myrian Illiano (21). “I hope that even smokers can understand the need of non-smokers who want to breathe cleaner air,” said non-smoker Chiara Ciuffini (39).
Emanuele Marinoni, owner of a tobacco store in Milan and vice president of the Italian Tobacconists’ Federation, expects sales to drop by 20 to 30 percent. “It is obvious that consumption (of cigarettes) must inevitably decline,” he said. The smoking ban began to be tightened in Milan with the Air Quality Decree of 2020. From 2021, smoking is prohibited in parks, playgrounds, bus stops and sports fields.
“I very much agree, because smoking is responsible for a lot of pollution, at a time when we are suffering from climate change, this can help reduce the effects of pollution that is ravaging the planet.” said non-smoker Stellina Lombardová (56).
In Italy in 1975 smoking was banned nationwide in public transport, in schools and some other areas. In 1995, it was extended to public administration buildings and in 2005 to all closed public spaces. In 2023, according to the National Statistical Office (ISTAT), about 19 percent of Italians smoked, the average in the European Union was 24 percent. Behind the European average (around 10 euros), the average price of a pack of cigarettes in Italy is around six euros.
Smoking causes 93,000 deaths a year, the Italian Ministry of Health said. In the case of lung cancer, it is responsible for approximately 85 percent of all cases, according to the World Health Organization. In the European Union, 17 countries have already introduced non-smoking legislation, the strictest is in Ireland, Greece, Bulgaria, Malta, Spain and Hungary. Sweden has the fewest smokers in Europe (about 8 percent of the population), the worst is Bulgaria, where 37 percent smoke.
