In Port-Vendres, we no longer smoke in front of the school

In this commune in the Pyrénées-Orientales (66), a decree was issued by the mayor to implement a ban on smoking in front of primary and nursery schools from the start of the school year.

A well-accepted measure

Signs were recently installed around these schools in Port-Vendres to inform the public of the new order. Smoking in front of a school is now punishable by a €35 fine, although the mayor of Port-Vendres, Grégory Marty, hopes it won't come to that. According to him, "This is common sense in the fight against smoking. School entrances are clearly not a place to smoke." The news has been generally well received, even by parents who smoke.

Protecting children from secondhand smoke

"There are always a few opponents who will call me a dictator, but it's in the best interest of our children." Passive smoking, while more harmful indoors, is not without consequences outdoors. The dangers associated with this exposure exist, and the repercussions on the health of young people are clearly visible: frequent respiratory symptoms—coughing, sneezing, and shortness of breath—more frequent and severe asthma attacks, more frequent respiratory infections—ear infections, sinusitis, bronchitis, and pneumonia—impaired lung development with a loss of breathing capacity into adulthood. There is also a risk of obesity and the onset of heart problems such as atrial fibrillation. Worldwide, more than 60,000 children under the age of 5 die each year from lower respiratory tract infections caused by passive smoking.

Local initiatives

While current laws banning outdoor smoking only apply to indoor spaces, decisions can still be made at the local level. In July 2017, the French League Against Cancer identified 820 designated smoke-free areas (including 53 beaches) in 282 municipalities and 27 departments.

©Generation Without Tobacco

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[1] Sébastien Berriot, Smoking is now banned outside the gates of the Port-Vendres school, www.francebleu.fr (September 6, 2020 - consulted on September 7, 2020). [2] CNCT, Passive smoking and respiratory diseases in children, Tobacco-Free Generation (December 26, 2019 - accessed September 7, 2020). [3] WHO, WHO draws attention to the scale of deaths attributable to tobacco-related lung diseases, www.who.int (May 29, 2020 - accessed September 7, 2020). [4] BIENVAULT Pierre, Smoking: More and more cities are banning smoking outdoors, www.la-croix.com (August 20, 2018 - consulted September 7, 2020). You may also be interested in these articles: DNF, Atrial fibrillation: how passive smoking also affects children's hearts, Tobacco-Free Generation (June 9, 2020 - accessed September 7, 2020). DNF, Exposure to smoking and childhood obesity: proven links, Tobacco-Free Generation (July 2, 2020 - accessed September 7, 2020). DNF - For a Zero Tobacco World |