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France has banned smoking in public places like beaches and parks. Any smoker who lights up a cigarette in public will be breaking the law. The new smoking ban is to protect children from passive smoking. This happens when you breathe in smoke from other people who are smoking. The government wants to create a tobacco-free generation by 2032. This means protecting children today. France's Minister of Health said: "Tobacco must disappear from places where there are children … a park, a beach, a school. These are places to play, learn, and breathe; not for smoking." She added: "The freedom to smoke stops where the right of children to breathe clean air begins."
Smoking is slowly falling in France. However, passive smoking still causes up to 5,000 deaths per year. A recent survey showed that 68 per cent of French people support rules to ban smoking in public. They also want bans at outdoor cafes and restaurants, but these places are not included under the new ban. Smoking is one of the leading causes of preventable disease, disability and death. It can damage nearly every organ of the body. Smoking near children is especially dangerous because their bodies are still developing. Second-hand smoke can lead to breathing problems and asthma. It can slow down or damage lung development. People hope the new ban means children can grow up to be healthier.
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