Thionville, a tobacco-free city from kindergarten to high school

A pioneer, along with Joinville in Haute Marne, of smoke-free towns in France, Thionville is taking advantage of the Smoke-Free Month to initiate anti-smoking actions among young people. An initiative relayed to the Rosa-Parks comprehensive high school, whose surroundings are becoming smoke-free.

Thionville is one of the most populated cities in Moselle. Located a few kilometers from Luxembourg, it is in a region where cross-border purchases of tobacco products are frequent. These reasons prompted the mayor of Thionville, also president of the Porte de France-Thionville urban community, to join the "Tobacco-Free City" program implemented by the regional coalition Grand Est Sans Tabac (GEST), with its partner the National Committee against Smoking (CNCT).

The experimental program "Tobacco-Free City" aims to improve the health and quality of life of residents by protecting them from exposure to smoking. It thus provides for the implementation of a comprehensive local plan to combat smoking, including awareness campaigns, the generalization of smoke-free outdoor spaces, a global incentive to stop smoking, but also compliance with the regulations in force. The many actions implemented since 2021 are, on the occasion of No Tobacco Month, supplemented by several initiatives aimed at young people.

Protection and awareness-raising actions focused on young people

Among the measures announced in November 2023 by the city is the extension of smoke-free spaces that have already developed in recent years.[1]After the public parks and gardens and the areas around nursery and primary schools, the areas around the conservatory, the Rosa-Parks high school and five multi-reception areas will become "tobacco-free" in spring 2024. The youth municipal council is also preparing to implement awareness-raising and smoking prevention actions among young people.

At the Rosa-Parks high school, students from the BTS Health and Social work program are working on the supervised project "Rosa-Parks High School without Tobacco". The awareness-raising actions planned are not only aimed at high school students, but also at teachers and administrative and technical staff. While smoking has been banned in high schools since the Evin law in 1991 and the first experiments in tobacco-free high schools date back to 2003[2], the areas around high schools remain places of consumption and initiation to smoking.

Development of the “Tobacco-Free City” project

Interviewed in 2022 by France Bleu Lorraine Nord, Jean-Christophe Hamelin-Boyer, the deputy mayor of Thionville, confirmed that he did not want a city without smokers, "but a city without tobacco"[3]In March 2023, an information campaign in the local press recalled the latest actions implemented by the city: promotion of assistance in quitting smoking, establishment of “Tobacco-free town hall, exemplary place”, respect for prohibitions[4]. This last part concerns in particular the respect of the ban on smoking in smoke-free areas, and that of the ban on the sale of tobacco products and vaping to minors. Since January 2016, municipal police officers and rural guards have been authorized to enforce these two bans.[5].

Keywords: Thionville, Free city without tobacco, Month without tobacco, high school without tobacco.

©Generation Without Tobacco

MF

[1] Tobacco-Free Month: Thionville and its Urban Community are committed to protecting young people from smoking and preparing a tobacco-free generation in 2032, Portes de France-Thionville, published on 1^er November 2023, accessed November 6, 2023

[2] Tobacco-free high schools: 22 pilot establishments, Public Health France, updated September 6, 2019, consulted November 6, 2023.

[3] Lhuillier F, In Thionville, it’s a no-smoking month all year round, Here, published October 19, 2022, accessed November 6, 2023.

[4] Free City Without Tobacco, since 2021, it’s…, Free city without tobacco, consulted on November 6, 2023.

[5] Bovi-Hosy G, Health Law: Municipal police called upon to combat smoking, La Gazette des Communes, Prevention and security club, published on July 7, 2016, consulted on November 6, 2023.