Ammon News - Cigarettes have long been associated with fashion so much so that they remain an occasional feature of runways. Smoking, like the color black, seems to never go out of style in the fashion world.

But stylish or not, as of Jan. 1, 2025, smoking is outlawed in “all public spaces, including streets” in Milan, Italy’s financial and fashion capital, meaning anyone who lights up outside faces fines between $41 and $249 (€40 - €240).

The move marks the toughest smoking ban in Italy, where nearly a quarter of the population smokes, according to the country’s health ministry.

The only exception is when people are in isolated places at least 10 meters from other people.

The ban, which does not include vapes or electronic cigarettes, is part of a clampdown focused more on pollution than health, according to the city council, which passed a clean air bill in 2020 that included strict bans on smoking, responsible for 7% of all emissions in Milan and its suburbs.

CNN