Public Health France reactivates its tobacco denormalization campaign

For the third year, Santé Publique France is launching a communication campaign aimed at denormalizing tobacco use and presenting the benefits of a life without tobacco.

Showing images of a life where tobacco has no place and inviting viewers to give up tobacco are the main messages of the "Welcome to a life without tobacco" campaign. Broadcast from May 2 to 31, 2023 by Santé Publique France for the third consecutive year, this campaign proposes to join "the 50 million French people who live without tobacco"[1].

An invitation to live without tobacco and to move away from it

Rather than pointing out the dangers of tobacco and the diseases it causes, this campaign aims to be positive and emphasize the good times in life. Tobacco is constantly discussed, but it is absent from the scenes of life and only appears from the perspective of quitting. The difficulties of quitting are not denied, they are simply put into perspective: not all smokers encounter the same difficulties when quitting, which can sometimes be simpler than it seems.

The films and posters of this campaign aim above all to reinforce the motivation of smokers to quit smoking. They show that a life without tobacco is possible, within reach, that you just have to try, that complete withdrawal is achievable even if it sometimes requires several attempts before succeeding. As is often the case in the field of addictions, restoring confidence in consumers about their chances of success is one of the most effective levers.

Denormalization, an essential condition for a tobacco-free generation

The denormalization of tobacco consists of removing it from all situations where it once seemed normal for people to smoke. Smoking bans in workplaces, public places and cafes and restaurants have shown that the goal of smoke-free places is not only feasible, but also that this type of measure is greatly appreciated by non-smokers and smokers alike. The widespread use of smoke-free beaches and outdoor spaces contributes to this logic of removing the public image of tobacco. movies and the series contribute to our perception of the world and are again frequently used by tobacco manufacturers, by multiplying situations involving smokers (and now vapers) in order to renormalize tobacco. The image of tobacco has indeed suffered greatly since the lawsuits brought against the main manufacturers in the United States in the 1990s and the various revelations about the processes used by this industry to maintain nicotine addiction.

Denormalizing tobacco is also one of the main focuses of the White Paper. “Achieving a tobacco-free generation”, which has just been published by the National Committee against Smoking (CNCT)[2]This document details a set of measures to achieve the objective of 5% of smoking prevalence among young people born in 2014 by 2032. These proposals are made in particular with a view to contributing to the next national plan to combat tobacco 2023-2027, which could be published at the end of May 2023.[3]The denormalization of tobacco is presented both as a means and as a condition for achieving this goal of a tobacco-free generation: it is when tobacco disappears from our environment that it is easier to live without it.

Keywords: Public Health France, Welcome to a world without tobacco, denormalization, White Paper.

MF

[1] #viesanstabac: Public Health France rebroadcasts and strengthens its “Welcome to a life without tobacco” campaign, Public Health France, published May 3, 2022, consulted May 2, 2023.

[2] The National Committee Against Smoking (CNCT) proposes strong measures to achieve a tobacco-free generation by 2032, CNCT, Press release, consulted on May 2, 2023.

[3] Chayet D, Removal of filters, ban for under-21s...: six strong measures for a “tobacco-free generation” in 2032, Le Figaro, published May 2, 2023, consulted May 2, 2023.