Milan has introduced a significant decision at the start of 2025, enacting a complete ban on smoking in outdoor and public spaces within the city. The new regulation, which came into effect on January 1, marks the strictest smoking ban in the city’s history.
Smokers in Italy’s financial and fashion capital now face fines for lighting cigarettes in the streets or public areas. Those caught violating the ban can be fined between 40 and 240 euros.
The new regulation is part of Milan’s broader air quality improvement strategy, which was approved by the city council in 2020. Since 2021, smoking has been prohibited in parks, playgrounds, bus stations, and sports areas.
The most recent ban, effective January 1, extends to “all public spaces, including streets,” with the exception of “isolated places where it is possible to maintain a distance of at least 10 meters from other people,” according to the new rules.
Local officials say the measure aims to reduce airborne particles and improve the city’s air quality, while also protecting citizens’ health, including shielding them from secondhand smoke in public spaces frequently visited by children.
