As November 1st marks the start of Tobacco-Free Month, Why Doctor takes stock of this major public health problem.
- Tobacco remains today the leading preventable cause of death in France.
- Nearly a third of 18-75 year olds (31.8%) said they smoked, according to the latest Public Health France Barometer, and a quarter conceded to smoking daily (25.5%).
This Monday 1er November begins the public mobilization campaign against tobacco in France, called “month without tobacco”. According to Public Health France, the 30 days of withdrawal in November multiply by 5 the chances of quitting smoking permanently when this first challenge is accomplished. A boon for the 17 million smokers in France, while tobacco remains today the first preventable cause of death in France.
It’s a new life without tobacco that begins. Subscribe to #TobaccoFreeMonth ➡️ https://t.co/0WnTJr0ly2 pic.twitter.com/zpYXFHytX9
— #MoisSansTabac (@Mois_sans_tabac) October 1, 2021
Growing numbers
The year 2020 was marked by a rebound in the prevalence of smoking due to the health crisis. Nearly a third of 18-75 year olds (31.8%) said they smoked, according to the latest Public Health Barometer France, and a quarter conceded smoking daily (25.5%). Smoking is also a marker of social inequality, since the third of French people who earn the best living only have 18% of daily smokers, against 30% for the poorest third. Between 2019 and 2020, daily tobacco consumption even increased by three points for the third of the population with the lowest incomes.
These figures have increased in 2020 after several years of stagnation or even decline. The number of daily smokers thus increased by more than one point in 2020 compared to 2019 (24%), while cigarette consumption had fallen each year from 2014 to 2019.
One in eight deaths is from tobacco
On average, adult daily smokers consume 13 cigarettes a day, according to the latest survey by the French Observatory of Drugs and Drug Addiction (OFDT). It is a little less for women (11 cigarettes) than for men (14 cigarettes). The proportion of vapers has been stable since 2019: around 5%.
Consuming tobacco is not insignificant and kills nearly 75,000 people each year, or one in eight people. On average, regular smokers are twice as likely to die prematurely and more than one cancer in four (27%) is due to smoking (lung, throat, mouth, lips, pancreas…).
More than 50,000 people already registered for Tobacco Free Month
Since its launch in 2016, organized by Public Health Francethe Ministry of Solidarity and Health and theHealth Insurance, the month without tobacco brought together 900,000 people. This year, 52,000 people have already registered on the list of volunteers to quit smoking. Get help from a professionalincreases the chances of successful weaning by 70%“, assures Public Health France. Since 2014, 1.9 million French people have quit smoking.
To participate in Tobacco Free Month, you can register on the dedicated website, call 3989 or download the Tabac info service application.
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