On 28 June 2025 at 10:14, the French government published a decree banning smoking in many public spaces. It came into force the next day. Here’s what it covers:

Smoking is prohibited on beaches, in public gardens and parks, at bus shelters, and outside schools, libraries, and swimming pools.

Café terraces are excluded, so you can still smoke there.

The decree does not mention electronic cigarettes, leaving them in a grey zone.

Anyone caught breaking the ban faces a €135 fine.

The government framed the move as protecting children’s right to breathe clean air. Health and Family Minister Catherine Vautrin stated: “Tobacco must disappear from places where there are children.”

Each year, around 75,000 people die in France from tobacco-related causes. Surveys show broad public support, with about 62% of the population in favour of smoking bans in public spaces.

For visitors, this means beaches and parks are now officially smoke-free zones. If you’re planning a trip, be aware of the rules as they’re being enforced.

@samlitzinger Maybe a stroke?

Between 1958 and 1962, American scientist John Calhoun conducted one of history’s most unsettling experiments—“Universe 25,” a mouse utopia that became a nightmare.

He built a perfect haven for rats: unlimited food, constant water, and safe shelter. At first, the colony thrived. But by day 317, population growth stalled, and darker currents began to stir.

As numbers swelled past 600, chaos spread. Dominant males turned violent, females attacked each other, and reproduction slowed to a halt. Juvenile survival dropped to zero, while passive, immaculate “beautiful mice” withdrew into isolation, avoiding courtship and conflict alike.

Eventually, the colony spiraled into cannibalism, social collapse, and extinction. Calhoun repeated the experiment 25 times, always with the same grim end. His work remains a chilling mirror for human society—a warning that even abundance cannot save us if connection, purpose, and balance are lost.