Turin follows the example of Milan and becomes the second large city to ban smoking outdoors, all thanks to one resolution, proposed by the Radicals councilor Silvio Viale which modifies the municipal regulation.
What changes
Basically you can continue to smoke outdoors, but… 5 meters away from others. Furthermore, smoking will also be prohibited in any case in the presence of children or pregnant women, as already provided for by the regulation.
The modification concerns article 7 of the urban police regulation number 221: a passage has been added to the article which says that the ban concerns cigarettes, cigars, pipes, heated tobacco, any combustion product, and also electronic cigarettes, which are therefore assimilated to normal cigarettes. The administrative sanction for anyone who violates the regulation will be 100 eurossuch as that already provided for by the smoking ban in force in children’s play areas.
For Viale it is a cultural issue and respect between people. The measure will contribute to reducing the impact of smoking, which remains the main cause of medical and oncological diseases, and will encourage more conscious consumption.
In other countries
In short, awareness of the harm caused by passive smoking is growing in Italy too, even though there is still no national law and therefore the choice of whether to introduce bans or not has been left to individual municipalities. As we said the forerunner was Milan where from 2021 there will be no smoking within 10 meters of other people in parks, public transport stops, children’s play areas, dog parks, cemeteries and sports facilities such as stadiums.
Something is moving here too, but we are certainly not at the levels of other cities. Any examples? Countries in different parts of the world, from Mexico to Russia and Japan, have completely banned smoking in outdoor places in an attempt to stop tobacco-related deaths.
In New York, there has been a total ban in place for almost twenty years now. This can only be done on the street, but at least 30 meters from the entrance to the buildings, particularly if they are renowned buildings and shopping centres, not on the pavement outside schools, nursery centers and healthcare facilities. Yes, however, in the smoking bar or area.
Same story in Australia which introduced a ban on smoking in public outdoor environments twenty years ago, in 2000, and which prides itself on Melbourne being the first smoke-free city in the world.
And in Europe? the most virtuous country is certainly Sweden which aims to become a “smoking free” country by 2025. In Paris, public parks have been made smoke free since 2019, with fines of 38 euros for violators, and “cousins “Spaniards? Since 2011 they have banned smoking in public places (including restaurants, bars, etc), children’s parks and areas around hospitals and schools.
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