Milan Mayor Wants to Expand Smoking Ban Areas

Giuseppe Sala, the mayor of Milan, considered the economic powerhouse of Italy, has announced that he wants to extend the smoking ban to some outdoor locations by 2030. This measure has been included in the Air-Climate Regulations, which will be discussed by the Municipal Council in March.

This restriction should apply in particular to stops for public transport and to the Milan San Siro stadium. The Italian city has already distinguished itself by its avant-garde fight against smoking. Indeed, smoking is strictly prohibited in public gardens, as well as in all places frequented by children. Failure to comply with this law exposes the offender to a fine of up to €500.

For the mayor, it is about reducing Milanese smog, the smoke fog of industrial areas, which is said to be composed of 5 to 7% of cigarette smoke. This proposal is to be welcomed, because it is part of a broader strategy to denormalize smoking in public spaces, adopted by several Italian cities, such as Verona and Bolzano, which have adopted measures to ban smoking in parks and green spaces.