According to recent reports, the French government launched a new plan at the end of November to “meet the challenge of freeing the next generation from tobacco.” The main measures include raising cigarette prices to a level that discourages purchasing and establishing smoke-free zones, which will be extended to include all beaches, parks, forests, and school surroundings. The government stated that the regulations for increasing cigarette prices and implementing smoke-free zones will be introduced in the first quarter of 2024.
Many towns in France already have designated non-smoking areas, and there are currently 7,200 smoke-free zones nationwide. However, the government aims to expand the ban to include all areas surrounding beaches, parks, forests, and schools. The French government’s goal is to achieve a “smoke-free generation” by 2032. This also means that smoke-free zones will become the responsibility of the central government rather than local authorities.
According to the latest statistics from the European Union, daily smokers in France account for 22.1% of the total population, compared to 15.9% in Germany and an EU average of 19.1%. Price is an effective measure for market regulation. When prices increase, sales correspondingly decrease. For a commodity like cigarettes that requires people to pay both financially and in terms of health, raising prices to reduce sales is an effective method. The World Health Organization’s MPOWER package of tobacco control measures includes the “R” for raising taxes on tobacco, which aims to regulate cigarette market prices by increasing tobacco taxes. The French government announced last month that by 2027, the price of a pack of cigarettes would increase from around 11 euros to 13 euros. However, despite continuous price increases in recent years, it seems that smokers have not decreased.
Nevertheless, the expansion of smoking bans in various public places in France and the increase in cigarette prices may lead to a reduction in smoking to some extent. Additionally, this will contribute to environmental protection.
