Nevez, a Small Western City, Decides Not to Enforce the Measure
Enforcement Difficult Due to Lack of Personnel
Several coastal cities in France have voiced opposition to the recently implemented strict smoking ban in public places.
According to the French daily Le Parisien on July 5 (local time), the small western city of N?vez in Brittany has decided not to enforce the measure, which came into effect on June 30.
The French government, aiming to protect minors from secondhand smoke, banned smoking from June 30 at bus stops, parks, beaches during the swimming season, libraries, swimming pools, and within 10 meters of schools. Violators face a fine of 135 euros (about 210,000 won), which can increase up to 750 euros (about 1.19 million won) if not paid within the deadline. The authority to enforce and penalize violations has been delegated to local governments.
Dominique Guiou, the mayor of N?vez, stated, "It is impossible to implement this measure in our area, which has the most wild and unsupervised beaches, with only a small number of municipal staff." He added, "Our city has just two municipal police officers and one public order officer. It makes no sense to use this limited manpower to fine people 135 euros for smoking on the beach. They have other priorities." N?vez, a small Atlantic coastal city with an area of about 25 square kilometers, has a population of only 2,700, but tens of thousands of tourists visit during the summer season.
St?phane Le Doar?, mayor of Pont-l’Abb?, another small city in Brittany, also pointed out the difficulty of enforcing the law. He criticized, "This is a very Paris-centric decision," and said, "While authority is delegated, there is no support." He further lamented, "Some policymakers introduced the law without considering local circumstances. This is not Saint-Tropez (the upscale resort in southeastern France). Here, there aren't dozens of police officers in each town, and mayors have little power."
Dominique Cap, mayor of Plougastel and chair of the Coastal Committee of the French Association of Mayors, also stated, "We are facing much more important issues, such as coastal erosion." He said, "The smoking ban in public places is not something that mayors should be responsible for." He suggested that, if necessary, local governments could create their own anti-smoking ordinances or increase the number of trash bins as alternative solutions. Mayor Cap remarked, "Now, with dogs and smoking already banned on the beaches, it seems as if children might be banned next," and proposed, "Instead of blanket bans, mayors should be allowed to address problems according to the specific circumstances of their regions."
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