The PACA region plans to promote a tobacco-free generation

On January 31, the president of the South Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur (PACA) region expressed his interest in local measures banning smoking for all young people born after 2008.

The consumption of manufactured cigarettes is higher in the South Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region than the national average. While smoking-related mortality in the region is similar to the national average for men, it is higher for women, who experience proportionally more deaths from cardiovascular and respiratory diseases, as well as a significant increase in lung cancer.[1].

It is in this context that the President of the Region, Renaud Muselier, has decided to significantly increase – from 28 to 40 million euros – the regional contribution to cancer issues, by focusing on screening, support for care, innovation and research into new treatments.[2]. In making public his second cancer plan on January 31, in the presence of the president of the National League Against Cancer and a few days before World Cancer Day (February 4), Renaud Muselier also spoke out in favor of strong measures to discourage young people from smoking. He declared himself "very impressed by New Zealand's decision to simply ban people born after 2008 from buying cigarettes."[3], and wanted to be inspired by what one could call the “New Zealand model”.

The PACA region draws inspiration from the New Zealand action plan

In an action plan unveiled on December 9, 2021, the New Zealand Minister of Health confirmed the intention to implement in her country from 2022 the principle of a ban on the sale of tobacco to anyone born after 2008.[4]This system, defined since 2011, should help prevent future generations from starting to smoke and lead to a "tobacco-free generation" by 2025, i.e. fewer than 5% smokers in the total population.

Renaud Muselier intends to draw inspiration from this principle and hopes to deploy it in the PACA region, but the information gathered does not yet allow us to know whether it would involve a ban on the sale of tobacco to younger generations or a ban on smoking for young people, which would deviate significantly from the spirit of the New Zealand action plan.

A municipality in the region (Var, Alpes-Maritimes or Bouches du Rhône) could initially serve as a test for this program, before it is disseminated more widely. The project of a tobacco-free generation by 2030 is indeed on the agenda of the Ten-Year Strategy to Combat Cancer[5], but this is the first time that it has been concretely considered in France. The PACA Regional Health Agency (ARS) has already shown itself to be in favor of this idea.

A tobacco-free generation “French style” in PACA

The local press reported this announcement, attributing to Mr. Muselier the intention of “implement by-laws prohibiting smoking in schools”[6]. However, smoking is already banned in schools, although this ban is not always respected. Furthermore, it is also illegal in France to sell tobacco or nicotine products to minors, but the offences, although well-defined, are rarely punished due to a lack of effective controls.

The idea, if it becomes an initiative, of banning tobacco for an entire generation raises the question of smoking and effective ways to curb it, particularly among young people. Implementing this experiment could make a reality that still seems unthinkable today and would help advance the project of a tobacco-free generation.

MF

[1] Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur Public Health Bulletin, Public Health France, published in February 2021, consulted on 1^er February 2022.

[2] Van Veen C, The PACA region releases 40 million euros to fight cancer, France Bleu Bouches-du-Rhône, published on January 31, 2022, consulted on 1^er February 2022.

[3] Grinda B, The South Region unveils its new Cancer Plan, La Marseillaise, published on 1^er February 2022, accessed February 2, 2022.

[4] New Zealand to ban tobacco for future generations, Tobacco-Free Generation, published on December 15, 2021, consulted on 1^er February 2022.

[5] The ten-year strategy to combat cancer 2021-2030, National Cancer Institute, February 2021, accessed 1^er February 2022.

[6] Tobacco: the South Paca region could ban you from smoking for life, Nice-Presse, published on 1^er February 2022, accessed 1^er February 2022.