France to ban smoking in public

France is set to follow Ireland’s lead and ban smoking in public places.

Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin was preparing to announce the two-stage ban soon. In a report presented on Wednesday, a parliamentary committee recommended a total ban from September 1, 2007, at the latest.

In the report, the parliamentarians said that each year between 2,500 and 5,800 people died from ‘passive smoking’. Some 66,000 smokers die each year in France.

Regular polls show the majority of French people support the proposed ban.

Ireland imposed the world’s first nationwide public smoking ban in 2004.

Other countries including Australia have imposed bans to varying degrees, some banning smoking from public places including restuarants and pubs. A total ban, to my knowledge has not be tabled in Australia. I am not sure why Governments aren’t considering it though when you look at the danger it represents to the public who choose not to smoke.

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