Turin now keeps smokers at a distance even outdoors

Turin Mayor Stefano Lo Russo described this decision as “common sense.”

“It’s about respecting those who don’t smoke and, in a way, about promoting a culture of respect,” Lo Russo, who belongs to the Social Democrats (PD – Partito Democratico), said on Tuesday.

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Anyone who ignores the regulation faces a fine of 100 euros. The ban applies to cigarettes, cigars, pipes, heated tobacco products and e-cigarettes, according to an ordinance passed by the City Council. It states that you can smoke near others “if they expressly agree”, while smoking outdoors in the presence of children and pregnant women is completely forbidden.

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Turin is not the first major Italian city to restrict outdoor smoking. In 2021, Milan imposed a ban on smoking at bus stops, taxi ranks, stadiums, parks and cemeteries.

Smoking ban since 2003

Since 2003, Italian law has banned smoking in all public buildings, offices, bars, restaurants, nightclubs and hotels unless there are completely separate smoking rooms and a functioning ventilation system. The transition period ran until 2005, and since then there has been a strict ban on smoking. Anyone who still picks up a cigarette in public areas will face a fine of at least 27 euros. If you smoke in front of children or pregnant women, you face a fine of up to 600 euros.