The National Tobacco Control Program 2023-2027 awaiting arbitration

The outlines of the next National Tobacco Control Program (NTCP) were unveiled by a member of the Minister of Health's office during a televised interview. The goal of a tobacco-free generation by 2032 is expected to be reaffirmed.

The National Tobacco Control Program (PNLT) 2023-2027 should soon be unveiled by the Minister of Health, a member of his cabinet indicated on June 19, 2023.[1]The date has not yet been set but could be sometime during the summer.

This PNLT 2023-2027 should be an extension of the PNLT 2018-2022 and aim for the objective of a tobacco-free generation by 2032. Formulated by Emmanuel Macron on February 4, 2021, the wish for a tobacco-free generation consists of achieving by 2032 fewer than 5,% smokers among children born since 2014.

Encouraging indicators regarding youth smoking

"In the previous PNLT, we had targeted a total of 22,000 smokers in France. This goal has not yet been reached; we are currently around 25,000." said this cabinet member, "We have a number of actions that could not be implemented due to the health crisis, which slowed down their deployment." The data from the latest ESCAPAD survey are, however, encouraging since, among 17-year-olds, daily smoking has fallen from 25.1% in 2017 to 15.6% in 2022, a drop of almost 10 points.[2]The PNLT 2018-2022 also made it possible to increase the volume of nicotine treatments covered, as well as the number of prescribers among healthcare professionals.

Ban on disposable e-cigarettes in the offing

However, the new measures of the PNLT 2023-2027 have not been announced, "because it has not been discussed and arbitrated by all parties"The ban on disposable electronic cigarettes (puffs) should nevertheless be the subject of a consensus, as mentioned by the Minister of Health, François Braun, on May 3, 2023.

In a interview granted on June 7, 2023, Yves Martinet, president of the National Committee against Smoking (CNCT), had presented several avenues of measures to be adopted, brought together in a White paper designed to contribute to the PNLT[3]. Ban the sale of tobacco to those under 21, monitor compliance with the ban on sales to minors, increase the price of cigarettes by 10 % per year, ban puffs, pouches[4] and NicoPods[5], as well as cigarette filters, were among the strong measures.

Keywords: PNLT, puff, François Braun, White Paper.

MF

[1] Gerstemberg B, Smoking: ambition, agenda, initial steps... everything you need to know about the national tobacco control program 2023-2027, CNews, published June 19, 2023, accessed June 21, 2023.

[2] OFDT, Drugs at 17, Analysis of the ESCAPAD 2022 survey, Trends No. 155, March 2023, 8 p.

[3] CNCT, Achieving a Tobacco-Free Generation, Contribution of Civil Society, White Paper and Proposals for the National Tobacco Control Plan 2023-2027, May 2023, 31 p.

[4] Nicotine pouches that are placed between the gum and lip. Not to be confused with snus, tobacco pouches that are used in the same way.

[5] Small nicotine balls that are placed under the tongue.