Smoking ban on all Ostend playgrounds

In May, the City of Ostend signed the Generation Smoke Free charter. In this way, the City commits itself to let children born in 2019 or later grow up in a smoke-free environment. The ambition is to reduce or even eliminate smoking behavior in the coming generations.​

All together there is a smoking ban in more than 70 places where children and young people often come. You may no longer smoke or vape within a radius of four meters around the playground equipment.

The city focuses first and foremost on information and awareness-raising. Anyone who ignores the ban after the information campaign risks a GAS fine of up to 250 euros. Natacha Waldmann, Alderman for Care and Welfare Ostend: “We have chosen to inform and raise awareness on the one hand. On the other hand, we are going to adjust our regulation to have a stick behind the door for people who are stubborn. It is a priority for us that children can grow up in a healthy environment and that is why we think it is important to be able to point this out to people.”