French ski resort Les Gets has become the first in Europe, they believe, to ban smoking on its ski slopes.
The municipality of Les Gets say it will be forbidden to smoke on the ski slopes or on the ski lifts as of this Saturday, December 17, 2022.
The resort says the move is to fight against pollution linked to cigarette butts thrown on the ground in the resort. More than 3000 cigarette butts were collected on the ski slopes during the annual “Clean Mountain” day and in France, around 20 to 25,000 tonnes of cigarette butts end up polluting natural environments every year.
The resort says though that smokers should not panic, they’ve created five smoking areas by the slopes for a cigarette break. Ashtrays made from recycled skis, created by the Skitec cooperative, will be available in these smoking areas. You can also smoke wherever you want in the village, however it will be forbidden to throw your cigarette butt on the ground.
Tobacco-free ski areas have already existed for several years in North America, Japan and New Zealand but Les Gets’ believes it is a first in Europe .
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