Starting on November 1st, 2016, France launched a nationwide campaign called, Moi(s) sans Tabac. Its slogan is a play on words; it means both “Me Without Tobacco” and “A Month Without Smoking”. The campaign was influenced by the UK’s similar campaign, “Stoptober”.
Approximately 13 million people still light up in France, including 20% of pregnant women. Smoking is the leading cause of premature death in France, and France is the only European country where smoking is still on the rise.
To help people quit, the government has promised a 150€ reimbursement for nicotine patches, with proof of a prescription from a doctor, pharmacist, or midwife. By signing up on the the campaign’s official site, you are also entitled to receive help and advice about quitting. According to the Ministry, over 110,000 people have signed up, and calls to the free information helpline almost doubled over the past year.
On the site, you can use the calculator to figure out how much smoking is costing you, and how much you can save. It also offers practical advice as well as options for therapy and support services in the area.
My number one pet peeve about France is its high number of smokers, and especially young smokers. I am 100% in support of this campaign and I hope it will influence people in this country to kick the habit!
Bisous,
Dana
This is great! All the second-hand smoke and cigarette culture is the number one thing I can’t stand in France and the only thing that really makes me not want to live there. I’m curious to see the results of this effort…
I hope it helps some people !!!
When I taught English, so many of my students smoked. They were all just 15 or 16! It made me so sad.
I agree. It’s just sad.
It’s so true and they need to market to the really young kids, before they hit the teen years, so that they think it’s just gross.
Yep! It’s so funny, I won’t even date a smoker …
Too many people smoke, not me I don’t smoke but people like Tim and Natasha they smoke out of my three daughters Natasha is the most like her dad we have often said she is a female version of Tim so no surprise that she is the smoker out of my girls
It’s so hard to watch teenage students start smoking and know they’ll regret it later! And also so unbelievable that smoking is still so “cool” in France.
I agree 100%. It’s so normalized and it’s so weird. The health risks are just so blatant nowadays. I don’t understand how it’s “cool” as in the US it’s the total opposite.
I was so surprised by the number of students who would rush out to smoke during breaks. It seems once they hit 15-16, 3/4 started smoking and even the teachers! Most of them smoked but did so in a private area not in front of the students.
I know, it’s so gross…