Milan, Italy's finance and fashion capital, is set to implement a near-total outdoor smoking ban starting January 1, 2025. The municipality is expanding existing restrictions to include all public areas, aiming to improve air quality and protect public health. This step positions Milan as the first major Italian city to introduce such an outdoor smoking prohibition.

The new regulation will prohibit smoking in all public or publicly accessible outdoor spaces, including sidewalks, squares, outdoor cafés, and parks. Exceptions will be made only for isolated areas where a smoker can maintain a distance of at least ten meters from others. According to La Stampa, the municipality believes that smoking damages everyone, not just smokers.

Violators of the smoking ban will face fines ranging from 40 to 600 euros, depending on the circumstances. Higher fines of up to 600 euros may be imposed if smoking occurs in the presence of children or pregnant women. Il Giornale reports that the municipality hopes these penalties will serve as a deterrent and encourage smokers to change their habits.

The decision builds upon previous measures introduced in 2021, when smoking was prohibited in playgrounds, cemeteries, public transport stops, parks, and sports facilities. Il Sole 24 Ore notes that the earlier phase was part of the Air Quality Regulation approved by the City Council in 2020, aimed at reducing PM10 emissions and improving air quality.

Elena Grandi, Milan's Councillor for Environment and Green Spaces, has been a vocal supporter of the new measures. "It is primarily an action of awareness aimed at discouraging lifestyles that we know are harmful to the health of all people, not just smokers," said Grandi, according to La Stampa. She emphasized that individual behaviors contribute significantly to the city's air quality. "I am aware that enforcing this measure will not be simple or immediate, but I am also convinced that it will be a tool to initiate a real cultural change," she added.

Official data from the Lombardy region indicate that cigarette smoking is responsible for 7% of fine dust (PM10) emissions in Milan, contributing to poor air quality. Among the main sources of these emissions are road transport, the combustion of wood-burning ovens in pizzerias, and tobacco. This data, reported by Il Giornale, underscores the need for measures to reduce pollution.

The new regulation applies only to traditional tobacco products such as cigarettes, cigars, and cigarillos. Electronic cigarettes remain mostly allowed outdoors. Die Zeit reports that users of e-cigarettes can continue to use them in public spaces without restrictions, as the ban does not extend to these devices.

The enforcement of the new regulations has raised some concerns. The first phase of the smoking ban was not consistently applied, with only 14 fines imposed over three years. Critics worry that without an adequate information campaign and sufficient enforcement, the new measures may not achieve the desired impact. "It is yet another ideological and hypocritical measure of the Sala administration," commented Giulio Gallera, a regional councilor of Forza Italia, according to Il Tempo.

Despite these concerns, the Milanese administration remains optimistic. Environmental advocates have welcomed the measure, viewing it as a step toward a healthier city. "It is an absolutely commendable measure, which I hope will be taken up by other mayors both in Campania and in the rest of Italy," stated Francesco Emilio Borrelli, a deputy of Alleanza Verdi Sinistra, as reported by Il Tempo.

The outdoor smoking ban is part of Milan's broader Air and Climate Plan, which aims to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by half by 2050. The plan reflects a growing trend in Europe toward tougher anti-smoking measures. Other countries, including France and Portugal, are discussing outdoor smoking bans as part of public health initiatives.

Milan's initiative may set a precedent for other Italian cities. "We hope that the entire scientific community, by sharing this measure, can contribute and help us in the awareness-raising work regarding the damages of smoking," said Grandi, according to ANSA.

This article was written in collaboration with generative AI company Alchemiq