Currently, the Ministry of Health is working on the new national program for the fight against tobacco, for the period 2023-2027, which should be relayed this summer.
- The National Tobacco Control Program 2018-2022 has led to a reduction in daily smoking among adults and young people.
- Based on these results, the Ministry of Health is currently preparing a new 2023-2027 version and “has the ambition to relay (it) this summer”.
- The targeted objectives: 22% of smokers in total in France, a generation without tobacco in 2032 and a potential ban on disposable “puff” cigarettes.
“A date has not yet been set”. This was indicated by the office of the Minister of Health, François Braun, to NEWS concerning the publication of the National Tobacco Control Program (PNLT) 2023-2027. The Ministry “has the ambition to (the) relay this summer”. But before unveiling this new version of the anti-tobacco plan, he continues to prepare it. For this, they relied on the results of the national tobacco control program 2018-2022, which has proven to be effective.
“Tobacco consumption fell sharply between 2017 and 2022”
According the ESCAPAD surveyconducted among 23,701 girls and boys aged 17.4 years on average, “the consumption of tobacco, alcohol and cannabis has fallen sharply since 2014 and in particular between 2017 and 2022, regardless of the frequency of consumption considered.” In detail, the 2018-2022 PNLT has led to a reduction in daily smoking among adults (from 26.9% in 2017 to 24.5% in 2022), but also among young people “around 15.6% in 2022 against 25.1% in 2017”. This program has also made it possible to increase the number of nicotine substitutes covered and prescribing health professionals.
The target of 22% smokers in France “has not yet been reached”
“On the previous PNLT, we had targeted the objective of 22% of smokers in total in France. This goal has not yet been achieved, we are around 25%. (…) We have a certain number of actions which could not be put in place due to the health crisis, which slowed down their deployment. The PNLT 2023-2027 will therefore be a continuation of what was planned in the previous program. There are also new measures but at this stage, it is still a little early to reveal them because it has not been discussed and arbitrated by all parties”, explained to NEWSa member of François Braun’s cabinet.
A tobacco-free generation in 2032 and an intention to ban puffs
One of the objectives of the national tobacco control program 2023-2027? A generation without tobacco in 2032. This wish had been formulated by the President of the Republic in February 2021. “We are still getting closer to the objective set by the President of the Republic. (…) The goal is therefore to put in place a certain number of measures to accelerate the movement towards this ambition”said this source,
The latter also confirmed the ban on disposable “puff” cigarettes recently mentioned by the Minister of Health. “As for the puffs, the minister has already communicated on it to announce his intention to bring the ban. It has not been completely decided yet but it is a measure that makes sense.”
