November begins with the sixth edition of the Tobacco Free Month.
In order to fight against smoking, many agglomerations sanctuary certain outdoor spaces, in order to make them tobacco-free zones.
In Thionville (Moselle), 35 spaces prohibiting smoking were created in early October.
Likewise, the municipality of Carrières-sous-Poissy (Yvelines) opened 37 tobacco-free spaces on November 1.
Since 2012, this fight has been led by the League against cancer, which has created a “
tobacco-free spaces
” label
.
Concretely, the municipalities are approached by the association in order to deploy strong actions against smoking in the public space.
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Since 2020, Thionville has been the “
first tobacco-free city
” in the Grand Est.
In
Le Figaro
, Pauline Patout, health officer in the Thionville urban area community, explained the reasons for this device.
“
The Grand Est region is the fourth region with the most smokers in France (30.6%).
Our desire is therefore to denormalize tobacco use to prevent the entry of young people into this addiction, to support smokers in their cessation but also to fight against the harmful effects of tobacco on the environment.
The 35 areas concerned in the municipality are the surroundings of nursery and elementary schools, as well as closed parks.
Non-smoking areas are gaining ground
By dint of advocacy, the device was developed throughout France in 2012, with the first tobacco-free beach in Nice.
Emmanuel Ricard, prevention and promotion of screening at the League, believes that it was a long-term job.
“
Some municipalities were sometimes reluctant because they were afraid of losing voters.
But gradually they change their minds, because there is also an environmental issue.
Tobacco-free zones mean less pollution and fewer cigarette butts to pick up in the streets,
”he told
Le Figaro
.
About 30 billion cigarette butts per year are thrown into public spaces in France.
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Like large cities such as Nice or Marseille, many small municipalities also take decrees in this direction.
In Pessac, near Bordeaux, 17 outdoor spaces are now “
tobacco-free
” areas.
Three places without tobacco were also recently inaugurated in the town of Doubs (Doubs), near schools, but also the stadium.
"
The goal of a tobacco-free generation in 2030
"
For the League, we should not be limited to the establishment of a few zones prohibiting smoking.
It asks the government to ban by decree the fact of smoking around all schools.
The association targets tobacco consumption in front of children and adolescents.
“
About 200,000 of them start to smoke in France every year.
Preventing the entry of children and adolescents into smoking involves denormalizing it, especially in the educational places they frequent daily,
”specifies the League.
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According to a League survey conducted in January 2020, 89% of French people support the ban on smoking in public parks and gardens, 86% around schools and 81% on beaches.
"
This survey reveals in particular a strong support from young adults (25-34 years), who are 94% to support the establishment of tobacco-free spaces in parks and public gardens and 90% around schools
", specifies the association in a press release.
