France bans smoking areas across high schools

A French court ruled Thursday that a high school outside Paris was not allowed to create a smoking zone on its premises, a measure taken by many schools after the jihadist attack on the capital in November.

The move by high schools was a bid to stop pupils crowding on pavements to grab a quick smoke betw-een classes, which authorities and some parents feared would make them a target for potential attacks. The Paul Lapie high school in Courbevoie is one of three taken to court by anti-smoking groups, who are up in arms at teenagers being given the right to smoke in schools a decade after it was banned. The administrative court said the school’s principal must “ensure the respect of public health laws banning smoking in school establishments.”

Shortly after the Nove-mber 13 attacks which left 130 dead, the ISIS issued threats against French schools. Under the state of emergency imposed after the attacks, a circular signed by both the education ministry and interior ministry was sent to sch-ools urging them to avoid having pupils gather outside their premises. Some schools then sent out letters to parents about new dedicated smoking areas, even specifying that ashtrays would be provided.