This year's theme was "Smoking: The Beginning of the End..."

During the Covid-19 period, the 14th congress of the Société Francophone de Tabacology (SFT) took place, in 100 % virtual, on November 26 and 27, 2020[1The opening of the congress was carried out by:

• Doctor Anne Laurence Le Faou, President of the SFT;
• Professor Jérôme Salomon, Directorate General of Health;
• Doctor Nicolas Prisse, Interministerial Mission to Combat Drugs and Addictive Behavior (MILDECA);
• Professor Geneviève Chêne, Public Health France;
• Daniel Thomas, President of the Scientific and Organizing Committee of the Congress.

Other learned societies participated as well as the French Society of Cardiology, the French-Speaking Society of Pneumology, the French Society of Vascular Medicine and the National College of French Gynecologists and Obstetricians, nurses and French-speaking colleagues from Belgium and Luxembourg.

Many rich and diverse exchanges

The theme of this congress "Smoking: the beginning of the end...", in the form of a figure of speech, is intended to be optimistic. According to the latest barometer from Santé Publique France, Jérôme Salomon reports that the number of smokers has fallen by 4.5 points (-16 %) since 2014, the prevalence of daily smoking, falling in 5 years from 28.5% to 24.0%. The fight is still tough to wage, especially in this period of confinement, where 27% of daily smokers have increased their consumption by 5 cigarettes per day while 19% have reduced their tobacco consumption[2It is also specified that inequalities persist and are increasing in tobacco consumption between high and low incomes: 18 % for the wealthiest and 30 % for the poorest.

The two main objectives of the SFT are to develop knowledge and strengthen links between the different stakeholders. During this congress, several issues were addressed, abounding in this sense, such as the effects of the association of tobacco and Covid-19, recent data on tobacco consumption, electronic cigarettes and associated symptoms, the environmental impact, medically assisted procreation (AMP), the importance of monitoring and supporting women in quitting smoking, before and throughout their pregnancy as well as after childbirth. A booklet is available online. It presents the program and a summary of the interventions carried out over these two days, accessible here.

Presentation of the SFT

The French-speaking Society of Tabacology is a general interest organization. It encourages scientific research on tobacco, its use, its impacts on health and its dependence as well as similar behaviors. It also disseminates the research carried out and its application. It encourages the teaching of tobaccology. The SFT carries out various actions[3] :

• The provision of a directory of tobacco consultations for SFT members;
• The publication of “La Lettre de la SFT”, i.e. 10 issues per year;
• An annual national congress: www.csfr2020.fr;
• A prize is awarded to the best thesis of the DIU in tobaccology;
• Collaborations with the General Directorate of Health, MILDECA, Public Health France, CNAM, the Alliance against Tobacco, the French Federation of Addictology and numerous learned societies.

The next national congress will be held from Thursday, November 25 to Friday, November 26, 2021, at the Palais des congrès de Reims[4].

©Tobacco Free Generation

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[1] CSFT 2020, 14th Congress of the French-speaking Society of Tobacco, www.csft2020.fr (accessed December 7, 2020). [2] DNF, 5th edition of No Tobacco Month, www.generationsanstabac.org (December 4, 2020, consulted on December 7, 2020). [3] French-speaking Society of Tobacco, SFT, presentation 2020, www.societe-francophone-de-tabacologie.org (accessed December 7, 2020). [4] French-speaking Society of Tobacco, SFT National Congresses, www.societe-francophone-de-tabacologie.org (accessed December 7, 2020). DNF - For a Zero Tobacco World |