On the sidelines of World No Tobacco Day, the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health is launching its new campaign “Stop preconceived ideas”.
The battle continues. On the sidelines of World No Tobacco Day to be held on May 31, the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health and Public Health is launching a new prevention campaign. Its objective: to break down preconceived ideas about the risks associated with tobacco consumption. According to the latest government figures, France has 16 million smokers. Between 18 and 34 years old, “almost one in two people smokes”. More than half of smokers (58%) are aware of the need to quit smoking. And often they do, it is estimated that between 400,000 and 500,000 smokers permanently quit smoking each year. The free phone line dedicated to quitting smoking received 34,866 calls last year and nearly two million Internet users visited the website of tabac-info-service.fr. “No, lung cancer doesn’t just affect seniors. It also affects smokers from the age of 35 ”,“ No, smoking only 4 cigarettes a day is not without risk. In fact, that multiplies by 3 the risk of infarction ”. These are the slogans that will punctuate the new Tobacco Info Service campaign.
Smoking-related cancers occur from the age of 35
The government is keen to silence preconceived ideas, stressing the importance of the risks associated with tobacco consumption, whether moderate or not. In the collective unconscious, certain practices could reduce the harmful effects of smoking. Questioned during the Cancer Barometer 2010, 70% of those polled believe that “playing sport helps to cleanse your lungs”.
More than a third of smokers consider that “tobacco consumption can only cause cancer if you smoke a lot and for a long time”, a false statement. “There is no threshold below which the risk of lung cancer is zero; in other words, smoking “only” 1 to 5 cigarettes a day is not without risk. With regard to this risk, there is therefore no “little” or “heavy” smoker ”, recalls in a report The League Against Cancer. And for the ministry, “cancers linked to smoking appear from the age of 35”.
Arsenal of aids to smokers
Present in tobacconists, shops or re-broadcast on television and radio, the campaign will end on May 31. Another measure to put an end to smoking, the government recalls the means put in place to advise and help smokers to quit smoking. A free telephone line (39 89), a website (tabac-info-service.fr) and a mobile application are provided for this purpose.
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