Anti-smoking fight: France in the European leading pack

The European Cancer Leagues Association has published a report on the state of public anti-smoking policies implemented in 35 European countries as well as in Israel.[1]The document proposes a classification of the latter according to their state of progress in the implementation of essential public policies at the national level:

• Price increases on tobacco products through increased taxes;
• Ban on smoking in public areas and at work;
• Better information through campaigns to disseminate the results of scientific research on the dangers of tobacco;
• A complete ban on all forms of tobacco marketing: advertising and sponsorship, promotion, including at points of sale of tobacco products,
• The existence of visible health messages affixed to cigarette packets and other tobacco products with the adoption of neutral packaging;
• The establishment of assistance for smokers to quit, in particular through easier access to monitoring and medical treatment.

This latest assessment, published in February 2020 and covering 2018 data, also included measures to combat illicit trade in tobacco products and the protection of public policies from interference by the tobacco industry. France comes in second place in this ranking behind the United Kingdom. This position is explained by a real political will in recent years which has resulted in a coherent strategy, the adoption of effective mutually reinforcing measures and a relatively unprecedented mobilization in France on this subject. A pack of Marlboro will cost a symbolic 10 euros, starting on 1^er March 2020, compared to 7 euros in 2017, an increase of 42% in three years.: This increase in taxes, which is important to continue, came in addition to a ban on all forms of advertising including at the point of sale, the introduction of plain packaging, the coverage of tobacco addiction treatments and the organization of No Tobacco Month, greater control of the tobacco industry's lobbying activities, the establishment of a fund to finance anti-smoking actions. These elements make France one of the spearheads of the fight against tobacco throughout the world, and particularly within the European Union. ©Tobacco Free Generation

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[1] Association of European Cancer Leagues, “The tobacco Control Scale 2019 in Europe”, 2020 https://www.tobaccocontrolscale.org/TCS2019.pdf | ©National Committee Against Smoking |