Smokers in Milan, Italy’s financial and fashion hub, now risk fines for lighting up on city streets or in crowded public areas under the country’s toughest smoking ban, which came into effect on Wednesday.
Violators in the polluted northern Italian city face penalties ranging from €40 to €240 (£35–£207), a measure that has sparked mixed reactions among locals.
“I think this measure is excessive. If we are talking about indoor places, I agree because smoking can be bothersome and unhealthy,” said Myrian Illiano, the office, they usually step outside to smoke. It is obvious this will lead to a decrease in cigarette consumption,” he noted.
The regulation, which precedes the Milan-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics, excludes e-cigarettes from the restrictions.
Milan, located in the industrial Po Valley and heavily affected by road traffic, is among Europe’s most polluted cities. According to deputy mayor Anna Scavuzzo, cigarette smoke contributes to fine particulate pollution alongside other forms of combustion.
