The Italian League for the Fight Against Cancer (LILT) and local health advocates have intensified calls to ban e-cigarettes in Milan’s public spaces. This push coincides with the European Conference on Tobacco or Health, taking place in the city from May 20 to 22, 2026, highlighting a critical shift from “smoke-free” policies to comprehensive “tobacco and nicotine-free” environments.
Health experts at the conference are warning against the “smoke-free” narrative often promoted by multinational tobacco companies to drive e-cigarette sales. Instead, the focus is shifting entirely to eliminating nicotine dependency. Currently, Milan’s municipal regulations allow outdoor vaping, a loophole that stems from the original legislation’s focus on environmental pollution rather than public health.
City officials note that the initial outdoor smoking bans were driven by environmental data linking cigarette smoke to PM10 smog levels. Because e-cigarettes do not produce the same environmental smog, they were exempted. However, health experts are now lobbying the City Council to close this gap.
Milan has progressively tightened its grip on traditional tobacco. Since January 1, 2025, smoking has been banned in all public outdoor areas unless a distance of 10 meters from other people can be guaranteed. This built upon earlier 2021 regulations that strictly prohibited smoking in specific high-traffic zones:
- Public transit stops
- Parks and green areas (including dog parks)
- Cemeteries
- Sports facilities, including stadium stands
Despite these comprehensive rules and potential fines ranging from €40 to €240, enforcement has been a massive failure. Recent city council debates revealed that only 35 fines were issued in the past year for violating the 10-meter distance rule. Frustrated by the lack of compliance, some politicians are now proposing a “zero-meter” total ban on all outdoor smoking.
While the city debates municipal laws, private venues are taking matters into their own hands. Coinciding with the health conference, Stazione Radio, a venue along the Martesana canal, has inaugurated a 3,000-square-meter garden that strictly prohibits both traditional cigarettes and e-cigarettes.
Director Maurizio Guagnetti acknowledged the financial risk of turning away vaping customers but emphasized their commitment to public health. In recognition of becoming Milan’s first fully “nicotine-free” commercial space, LILT rewarded the venue with a massive, custom-designed mural by prominent local artist Nico 189.
