Italy's fashion capital enforces strictest smoking ban in public places

Smoking in outdoors and public areas in Italy’s financial and fashion capital, Milan, is now banned. It’s the toughest extension of a series of bans starting in 2021, aimed at ‘improving the quality of the city’s air.’

Euronews reported that smoking has now been banned in outdoors and public areas in Italy’s second largest city of Milan.

The citywide ban goes into effect starting Jan.1, 2025, in the strictest ban to date on smoking in the Italian fashion capital.

Starting in 2021, it was forbidden to smoke in parks and playgrounds, as well as bus stops and sports facilities.

The latest smoking ban, effective January 1, 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 metres from other people," according to the text.

Those who break the new laws could be subjected to fines ranging from €40 to €240 ($41 to $249).

Local officials say the measure applies to "all public spaces, including streets,” but does however provide an exception for isolated places. Those smoking in isolated spaces may smoke outside, but must maintain a distance of at least 10 metres from other people.

 "I think this measure is excessive. As long as we are talking about an indoor place, I agree. because (smoking) can be bothersome and it is not healthy," sales clerk Myrian Illiano, 21, told AFP. "But if we are talking about an open place, I don't see why one should be restricted."

However, content creator Chiara Ciuffini, 39, was all in favour of the new move. "I agree, because I am a sporty, non-smoking person. I hope smokers can also understand the need of nonsmokers who want to breathe cleaner air," she said.

The ban is the latest in an initiative launched back in 2021 aimed at improving the city’s air quality. Officials say the motive behind it is to also protect the health of citizens from the harmful effects of passive smoke inhaled by non-smokers in public spaces, especially those frequented by children.

Local officials say the measure is aimed at reducing airborne particulates to "improve the quality of the city's air, to protect the health of citizens, including protection from passive smoking in public places, also frequented by children," according to a statement.

Emanuele Marinoni, vice president of the Italian Tobacconists Federation and the owner of a tobacco shop in Milan, said he expects business to drop by "20 to 30 per cent." "When a person is in the office, (to smoke) they move to the balcony or to the street. It is obvious that there is bound to be a decrease in (cigarette) consumption," he said.

The ban — which comes ahead of the Milan-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics — does not apply to e-cigarettes.

Situated in the middle of the industrial Po Valley and choked with road traffic, Milan is one of Europe's most polluted cities in terms of air. Cigarette smoke, "like all combustion, contributes to the creation of fine particles", said Anna Scavuzzo, Milan's deputy mayor.

Cheap smokes

Italy's first national smoking ban, in 1975, prohibited smoking on public transportation and in classrooms and certain other areas. In 1995, the ban was extended to public administration areas, and in 2005, to all enclosed public areas, making it at the time a pioneer in Europe.

Some 19 per cent of Italians smoke, according to the National Institute of Statistics (ISTAT) based on 2023 data, lower than the 24 per cent average within the European Union.

Averaging around six euros a pack in Italy, cigarettes are also among the cheapest in Europe, where prices of about 10 euros are more common.

Italy's health ministry says that 93,000 deaths per year are attributed to smoking.

Smoking  is responsible for roughly 85 percent of all cases of lung cancer, the deadliest cancer worldwide, according to the World Health Organization.

WAM / AFP