Should smoking on terraces be banned? 7 out of 10 French people are in favor

Nearly 7 out of 10 French people are in favor of banning smoking on terraces , reveals a YouGov study conducted for Le HuffPost . Just days before World No Tobacco Day, scheduled for May 31, this new finding reflects an already strong reluctance toward smokers, who are perceived negatively according to a recent survey by Santé Publique France.

More than 52% believe that smokers are less well accepted in society, while 66.6% think that smoking is generally frowned upon, the national public health agency details.

Regarding smoking on terraces, opinion is even more clear-cut among young people, with 79% of 18-24 year-olds in favor of the ban. While older people are slightly less convinced, HuffPost details, a majority still say they are ready to see cigarette smoke disappear from terraces (62% of 45-54 year-olds and 67% of those over 55).

Those surveyed are not much more lenient with e-cigarettes: 61% are in favor of banning them on terraces.

The denormalization of tobacco use among young people could be explained by an awareness of the dangers of cigarettes or the popularity of other products such as nicotine present in e-cigarettes.

"We consider cigarettes and tobacco products to be drugs of previous generations, an old-timer's drug, let's say. It's true that it's less fun," Dr. Bernard Basset, president of the Addictions France association, analyzed last week on BFMTV . .

As for tobacco smokers, potential restrictions on terraces are obviously not very popular. 52% of them are opposed to the ban on coffee and cigarette smoking in the sun," notes HuffPost. Surprisingly, however, 1 in 5 smokers say they are "completely in favor" of this ban, "proof that some are aware that their tobacco consumption can bother their neighbors or represent a risk for them," the news site points out.

More generally, banning smoking in all public spaces, "whether indoors or outdoors," appeals to 64% of French men and women alike. However, this general ban appears to be poorly received by smokers, 63% of whom say they are against it.

Despite this, the YouGov study reveals some good health news. A quarter of respondents say they have "quit " smoking. The over-55s are quite numerous (34%), ahead of 18-24 year-olds (4%), the majority of whom say they have never smoked (78%).

Smoking remains the leading cause of preventable death in France, according to the French Health Insurance , with 75,000 deaths annually, and passive exposure to smoke causes between 3,000 and 5,000 deaths each year.