The French stomp out cigarettes!?

Legendary singer Serge Gainsbourg with his ever-present cigaratte

The French have almost lost their ability to shock: doughnut-faced presidents have affairs with hot actresses via motor scooter; Metro ads features half-naked models, and farmers plow over McDonalds. But this latest news caught me by surprise: As reported in today's New York Times, the French government has announced a plan to curb smoking that would introduce plain packaging for cigarettes (no more cute camels!), ban smoking on playgrounds and -- get this -- even ban e-cigarettes in some public places, putting them ahead of the US in combating the growing use of e-cigarettes!

This from the country that has always celebrated the cigarette. Thank goodness they banned smoking in restaurants a few years ago -- I remember going to the famous Cafe de Flore, where Sartre and Camus once hung out and and the stink of their Gauloises still hung in the air -- I could barely breathe (or taste my food).

So, kudos to the French. Better late than never!