Bibione beach smoking ban
On Bibione beach in the municipality of San Michele al Tagliamento (Venezia), a campaign to raise awareness of clean, smoke-free beaches began in 2011. A “Smoke Free” area was created on the beach and signs were put up asking people not to smoke there. A total of 1,500 questionnaires, in various languages, were distributed to evaluate public approval of the initiative: 65% of respondents reacted favourably to a total ban, while 27% said they were in favour only on condition that smoking areas were created.
The “Respira il Mare” (Breathe the Sea) project introduced a ban on smoking at beach establishments, with fines for those in breach. Beaches such as the Bagni di Sant’Antonio delle Fornaci, near Savona, and Bibione beach, joined the initiative. An initial ban was imposed in 2014, with signs placed on the beach to inform visitors and invite smokers to put out their cigarettes. Transparent containers for cigarette butts were installed to show visitors how much of this waste was being collected day by day.
In 2018, Bibione asked visitors not to smoke on most of the beach, providing hardened smokers with a reserved smoking area. The Ministry of Health was immediately interested in the proposal and wanted details on how to apply the model. Many beaches have since then followed suit.
Importantly, the 2014 initiative gained the support and attention of the WHO (World Health Organization), the Regione, the ASL local health service and the Italian National Cancer Institute. More recently, Codacons, the coordination of associations for the defence of the environment and the rights of users and consumers, declared its concern about the effects of smoking by the sea, and indicated that Bibione beach was a model to follow.
