Smokers in Milan could be fined for smoking on city streets or in crowded public places once the ban came into force, according to Euractiv.
Those who breach the new ban could be fined between €40 and €240. However, some residents remained unhappy with the restrictions.
The new law is excessive in my opinion. I agree not to smoke indoors, not to smoke near an elderly person or a child, but banning smoking outdoors for me somewhat limits a person’s freedom.
The latest ban, which comes into effect on 1 January, applies to “all public spaces, including streets,” with the exception of “isolated places where it is possible to maintain a distance of at least 10 metres from other people.” Local officials say the measure is aimed at reducing particulate matter in the air to “improve the quality of the city’s air, to protect the health of citizens, including protection from passive smoking in public places, also frequented by children.”
However, the ban, which is being introduced ahead of the Milan-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics, does not apply to e-cigarettes.
The first national smoking ban in Italy in 1975 prohibited smoking in public transport, classrooms and some other places. In 1995, the ban was extended to public administration areas and to all enclosed public spaces in 2005.
According to the National Institute of Statistics (ISTAT), based on 2023 data, about 19 per cent of Italians smoke, below the European Union average of 24 per cent. Cigarettes, which cost an average of about six euros per pack in Italy, are also among the cheapest in Europe.
The Italian Ministry of Health reports that 93,000 deaths a year are linked to smoking. It causes about 85 per cent of all cases of lung cancer, the deadliest type of cancer worldwide, according to the World Health Organisation.
