Smoking Ban on Corsican Beaches, Parks & Public Spaces | Effective July 1, 2025
As of July 1, 2025, France will officially extend its smoking ban to new public spaces, including beaches, parks, and other outdoor gathering areas. This measure is part of the new National Tobacco Control Program 2023–2027, which calls for establishing “tobacco-free zones” to protect public health and the environment. A decree published in the first quarter of 2024 set the enforcement date for summer 2025. This smoking ban therefore naturally applies in Corsica, on all the island’s beaches and parks.
From a health perspective, the aim is twofold: to reduce exposure to secondhand smoke and to prevent youth from taking up tobacco. Indeed, secondhand smoke increases the risk of cardiovascular disease in adults by up to 27% and is responsible for about 1,100 deaths per year in France. On the environmental side, cigarette butts discarded on sand, on park lawns, or at public markets pollute up to 500 liters of water; their filters contain thousands of toxic chemical substances, take over ten years to decompose, and endanger marine life as well as terrestrial wildlife.
The ban covers beaches, outdoor parks, public gardens, and other gathering spots such as areas around schools or playgrounds areas. At beaches, visible signage will mark shore entrances, buffer zones will allow smokers to move away from the sand, and ashtrays will be placed around perimeters. Local authorities will install signs at entrances in parks and public gardens and provide cigarette disposal bins near benches. Municipalities, in collaboration with local associations and the Ligue contre le cancer, will issue municipal orders outlining enforcement details. Violators face a flat fine of €135.
User feedback is mixed. Some smokers are willing to walk a few dozen meters to light up, while others feel these restricted zones compromise their comfort. Nonetheless, most beachgoers and park visitors welcome cleaner air and tidier public spaces. Environmental and public health organisations view the measure as a long-awaited, significant step forward.
With summer 2025 approaching, the national initiative will be accompanied by an information and awareness campaign, urging everyone to help preserve air quality and the cleanliness of coastlines and parks. The upcoming smoking ban on beaches and other public spaces marks a decisive move in combating secondhand smoke and pollution, for the well-being of all.
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