I have two French grandchildren. On our many visits to France when they were still at school, we were appalled at the very high level of smoking in French children, close to 50%.

When the smoking in public ban was mooted we did not believe the French would accept it. At first they were very resistant , but they found a very French solution to smoking inside bars and restaurants, they simply erected see-through tents, to cover the outdoor pavement tables to accommodate the smokers. 

Now it has been announced that France is to ban smoking on beaches, in public parks, forests, around schools, and some other public areas, as part of a national anti-tobacco plan, unveiled by their health minister. France still has 75,000 smoking-related deaths a year. 

But there is good news - The French legislators also now intend to outlaw single-use disposable e-cigarettes.

Sadly, the recent political changes in New Zealand has now reversed the planned laws to stop children ever being able to buy cigarettes, which our PM decided to adopt. NZ new PM is shredding the smoking laws for fear of it fuelling a black market in cigarettes. To make things even worse he is hoping to use the tax income from smoking to offer new tax cuts.