On Thursday, the City of Milan announced that starting January 1, 2025, the outdoor smoking ban will be expanded to encompass all public areas. This new regulation includes streets and thoroughfares, with the only exceptions being isolated areas where individuals can maintain a distance of at least 10 meters from one another. Previously, a partial smoking ban had been in effect since January 2021, prohibiting smoking in parks, public transport stops, playgrounds, dog parks, cemeteries, and sports facilities, although compliance was often lax.
The upcoming ban will specifically target tobacco smoking and will not apply to electronic cigarettes, though it remains unclear if it includes heated tobacco devices. Additionally, the regulation’s wording raises questions about its applicability to outdoor seating areas at bars and restaurants. The municipality justified the ban as a necessary measure to safeguard public health, particularly to reduce passive smoking among children and lower levels of PM10, which consists of particulate matter smaller than 10 micrometers that can settle in the bronchi.
According to the World Health Organization, tobacco smoking is responsible for the majority of lung cancer cases and accounts for at least 80% of deaths caused by this disease. Milan’s officials referenced data from Arpa Lombardia, indicating that cigarette smoke contributes approximately 7% to PM10 emissions, a figure that actually encompasses a broader category of sources, including fireworks. The city’s efforts reflect a