France | République française

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TOBACCO AND NICOTINE USE IN THE EU

CONSOMMATION DE TABAC ET DE NICOTINE DANS L’UE

The law of France

Smokefree legislation came into effect in France on 1 February 2007. Workplaces, including offices, schools, stores and hospitals, went smokefree first, but bars, night clubs and restaurants were exempted until 1 January 2008.

Designated smoking rooms are allowed in cafes and restaurants, but are subjected to very strict conditions: they may occupy at most 20% of the total floor space of the establishment and their size may not be more than 35 m²; they need to be equipped with separate ventilation which replaces the full volume of air ten times per hour; the air pressure of the smoking room must constantly be lower than the pressure in the contiguous rooms; they must have doors that close automatically; no service can be provided in the smoking rooms; and cleaning and maintenance personnel may enter the room only one hour after it was last used for smoking.

• Any smoker caught flouting the ban can be fined up to 450 euros, while those who turn a blind eye to smokers on their premises can be fined up to 750 euros.
• Vending machines outside tobacco shops are forbidden.

The legal smoking age is 16.