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Muscat Daily
29-06-2025
- Health
- Muscat Daily
France: Smoking ban on beaches goes into effect
Paris, France – France has introduced new rules banning smoking on beaches, in parks and a number of other public spaces that went into force on Sunday. The rules aim to protect children from the dangers of passive smoking, which, according to official figures, kills between 3,000 to 5,000 people a year in the country. The new smoking rules The rules, which were published in the official government gazette on Saturday, also forbid smoking in bus shelters and within a 10 metre (33 foot) radius of libraries, swimming pools and schools, all places frequented by children. However, the ban does not apply to the terraces of bars and restaurants, unlike new rules that are soon to be introduced in neighbouring Spain. E-cigarettes are also not mentioned in the rules. Anyone violating the ban could face a fine between €135 (US$160) and €700, though there will be an initial grace period. 'Tobacco must disappear from places where there are children. A park, a beach, a school – these are places to play, learn and breathe. Not for smoking,' Health and Family Minister Catherine Vautrin said. She said the new rules represented another step 'toward a tobacco-free generation', which France is targeting from 2032. Smoking rate still high More than 30% of French adults still smoke cigarettes, making it one of the more tobacco-friendly countries in Europe and the world. Particularly concerning for health authorities is the statistic showing that 15% of 17-year-olds also smoke. However, according to the French addiction agency, the OFDT, the habit is nonetheless declining in France, with the current figure 'the lowest prevalence ever recorded since 2000'. More than 200 people in France die each day – around 75,000 a year – of illnesses related to tobacco consumption, Vautrin said in a statement on Saturday. The relative high rate of smoking comes despite the fact that a packet of cigarettes now costs at least €12 (US$14) owing to rising taxes on tobacco. In addition, smoking has been illegal in restaurants, bars and public buildings for well over a decade. According to a recent opinion survey, 62% of people in France are in favour of a smoking ban in public places. DW
DW
29-06-2025
- Health
- DW
France: Smoking ban on beaches goes into effect – DW – 06/29/2025
Smoking is now forbidden on beaches, in parks and other public spaces in France. The new rules aim to protect children being harmed by passive smoking. France has introduced new rules banning smoking on beaches, in parks and a number of other public spaces that went into force on Sunday. The rules aim to protect children from the dangers of passive smoking, which, according to official figures, kills between 3,000 to 5,000 people a year in the country. The rules, which were published in the official government gazette on Saturday, also forbid smoking in bus shelters and within a 10 meter (33 foot) radius of libraries, swimming pools and schools, all places frequented by children. However, the ban does not apply to the terraces of bars and restaurants, unlike new rules that are soon to be introduced in neighboring Spain. E-cigarettes are also not mentioned in the rules. Anyone violating the ban could face a fine between €135 ($160) and €700, though there will be an initial grace period. "Tobacco must disappear from places where there are children. A park, a beach, a school — these are places to play, learn and breathe. Not for smoking," Health and Family Minister Catherine Vautrin said. She said the new rules represented another step "toward a tobacco-free generation," which France is targeting from 2032. More than 30% of French adults still smoke cigarettes, making it one of the more tobacco-friendly countries in Europe and the world. Particularly concerning for health authorities is the statistic showing that 15% of 17-year-olds also smoke. However, according to the French addiction agency, the OFDT, the habit is nonetheless declining in France, with the current figure "the lowest prevalence ever recorded since 2000." More than 200 people in France die each day — around 75,000 a year — of illnesses related to tobacco consumption, Vautrin said in a statement on Saturday. The relative high rate of smoking comes despite the fact that a packet of cigarettes now costs at least €12 ($14) owing to rising taxes on tobacco. In addition, smoking has been illegal in restaurants, bars and public buildings for well over a decade. According to a recent opinion survey, 62% of people in France are in favor of a smoking ban in public places.
LeMonde
29-06-2025
- Health
- LeMonde
France imposes smoking ban on beaches and parks
Anyone who lights up on a beach or in a public park in France will be breaking the law starting on Sunday, June 29, under new rules aimed at protecting children from the dangers of passive smoking. Bus shelters and areas in the immediate vicinity of libraries, swimming pools and schools will also be affected by the ban, which is coming into force one day after its publication in the official government gazette on Saturday. The rule is being imposed one week before the beginning of the school holidays in France in a clear bid to immediately protect children from smoke on the beach. However, to the disappointment of some anti-tobacco activists, the ban does not cover the terraces of bars and restaurants where many French people still happily light up. They are also unhappy that the ban does not apply to electronic cigarettes. The rules had initially been expected to come into force on Tuesday after a previous announcement by the health ministry but the publication in the official gazette means this has now been brought forward to Sunday. People should also not smoke within a 10-meter radius of schools, swimming pools, libraries and other places that hurt minors. The health ministry said it would announce the minimum distance for smoking in these areas in the coming days as well as reveal the sign used to designate such areas. Violators of the ban could face a fine of €135 up to a maximum of €700 . However, the health ministry is expecting an initial grace period as the new rules are explained. "Tobacco must disappear from places where there are children. A park, a beach, a school − these are places to play, learn and breathe. Not for smoking," Health and Family Minister Catherine Vautrin said. This is another step "towards a tobacco-free generation," she added, which France is targeting to take off in 2032. In France, passive exposure to tobacco smoke causes 3,000 to 5,000 deaths per year, according to official figures. Smoking is steadily declining in France with "the lowest prevalence ever recorded since 2000," according to France addiction agency the OFDT. Less than a quarter of adults aged 18 to 75 reported smoking daily in 2023, according to the agency. Smoking causes 75,000 deaths per year in France and, again according to the OFDT, costs society €156 billion annually, counting factors including lost lives, quality of life, productivity, prevention, law enforcement and healthcare. According to a recent opinion survey, 62% of French people favor a smoking ban in public places.
Medscape
16-06-2025
- Health
- Medscape
Craving management workshops and peer-led support are helping French prisons reframe addiction as a healthcare issue.
The most recent congress of the French association of healthcare professionals working in the prison service (ASPEP), held in Paris, revisited the issue of substance use disorders among incarcerated individuals. For many years, drug use in prisons was met with ambiguity — or even outright denial — by authorities. The prison administration maintained the somewhat simplistic belief that because drug use is illegal, it could not exist in a system where the law is meant to prevail. This perspective began to shift in the early 1980s, when concern over the transmission of HIV and hepatitis from injectable drug use prompted a more serious response. However, the focus at the time remained on controlling infectious disease risk rather than addressing addiction as a medical condition. That era has since passed. Today, prison authorities — working alongside healthcare professionals — acknowledge the reality of both drug use and addiction within correctional settings. A major step forward came in May 2024 with the publication of the first national statistical survey on substance use in French prisons: The ESSPRI study (Survey on Health and Substance Use in Prisons), led by the French Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (OFDT). The study reflects a growing commitment among the medical community to objectively assess and address substance use behind bars. The survey was conducted between April and June 2023 and included approximately 1000 inmates aged 18 years or older. It assessed their use of psychoactive substances. The results — revisited at the March ASPEP congress — revealed significant levels of substance use: 63% of inmates reported daily tobacco use (compared with 25% of adult men in the general population) 26% reported using cannabis (vs 3% outside prison) 14% had used other illicit substances (including cocaine, crack, MDMA, and heroin) since being incarcerated Targeted Policy Recommendations By contrast, alcohol use within French prisons appears relatively low: Only 16% of inmates reported drinking alcohol while incarcerated. However, this is likely due to limited availability rather than a voluntary choice to abstain. Based on its findings, the OFDT identified three broad patterns of substance use among inmates: One third — primarily younger inmates — regularly use both tobacco and cannabis. One third use only tobacco. One third — often older inmates — do not use any psychoactive substances. The OFDT called for health policies that reflect these actual patterns of use. In particular, they recommended that prevention and treatment strategies within prisons focus more specifically on tobacco and cannabis, which are the most widely used substances. Transition After Release Across France, various initiatives have emerged to improve addiction care in correctional settings. However, program implementation remains fragmented, as most addiction services are organized independently by individual prison-based addiction treatment centers (known as CSAPAs). Despite this lack of coordination, some initiatives are particularly noteworthy. At the Bois-d'Arcy remand center in Yvelines, for example, CSAPA staff have introduced 'release kits' to support continuity of care for inmates with substance use disorders as they transition back into the community. This post-release period is a time of heightened vulnerability, marked by unstable living conditions and an increased risk of high-risk behaviors. In fact, post-release mortality — primarily due to suicide or overdose — is 3.6 times higher than during incarceration. The release kits, developed collaboratively with inmates and grounded in harm-reduction principles, are available in three versions tailored to individual needs: Basic kit: Includes key information, such as emergency contact numbers and referral options for addiction specialists. Kit for crack and cocaine users: Offers harm-reduction materials and substance-specific guidance to promote safer consumption practices. Kit for individuals who inject drugs: Contains sterile injection equipment and a dose of naloxone for emergency overdose reversal. Workshops to Address Craving At Baumettes Prison in Marseille, France, the local CSAPA has developed a program focused on managing craving — the intense urge to use substances experienced by individuals with addiction. Care is delivered through therapeutic workshops codesigned with inmates. These consist of four weekly group sessions facilitated by two healthcare professionals. Each group includes up to six participants and encourages open discussion of cravings and coping strategies, with a strong focus on shared experience and peer support. 'We explore how patients perceive their cravings and work to activate their psychosocial skills so they can draw on their own internal resources,' explained Camille Normandin, Elisa Carta, and Damien Mauillon during a presentation at the recent ASPEP congress. The workshops provide education on the physiological mechanisms underlying craving, while also helping participants develop personalized relapse prevention strategies. Inmates are encouraged to identify their own high-risk situations and develop tailored solutions to avoid giving in to urges. While pharmacologic substitution therapies are addressed, 'the real focus is on empowering inmates to draw on their own experiences and insights,' emphasized the CSAPA team from Baumettes. The ASPEP congress also served as a platform for healthcare professionals working in the prison system to call for better coordination of addiction services and, importantly, for more transparent and stable funding — which they described as inconsistent and difficult to track across facilities.
Malaysia Sun
01-06-2025
- Health
- Malaysia Sun
Calls for France to follow UK with generational tobacco ban
France recently banned single-use vapes and nicotine pouches as part of its plan to foster a tobacco-free generation. But, as the world marks the annual World No Tobacco Day on Saturday, a group of public health advocates and MPs want to go further by introducing a generational tobacco ban similar to the UK's. Smoking is no longer as fashionable in France as it was in the days ofSerge Gainsbourgchain-smoking Gitanes on TV. Yet it remains the country'sleading cause of preventable death, killing around 75,000 people a year. It is also linked to heart disease, strokes, type 2 diabetes, asthma, dementia and fertility issues. Over the past 30 years, France has cracked down on smoking banning advertising of tobacco products in 1991, smoking in public places in 2007 and sales to under-18s in 2009, and introducing plain packaging in 2017. These efforts have paid totheFrench Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (OFDT), the number of regular smokers fell from 40 percent of adults in the mid-2010s to 23 percent in 2023 although this is still above the EU average. France becomes second European country to ban disposable e-cigarettes Only16 percentof 17-year-olds say they now smoke daily, down from 25 percent in 2017. Vaping, however, is on the rise, especially among teens, with around 6 percent using e-cigarettes daily. The recent bans on single-use vapes known as "puffs" and nicotine pouches are part of France'sNational Tobacco Control Planfor 2023-2027, which aims to reduce the adult smoking population to 20 percent by 2027, and teen smokers to 10 percent by 2028. The ultimate goal: a tobacco-free generation by 2032, with only 5 percent of under-18s smoking. Severing the link The best way to reach that goal is to prevent young people from starting smoking, says Professsor Loic Josseran, head of the Alliance Against Tobacco (ACT). "We know that 90 percent of smokers begin under the age of 18," he said. "The ban on sales to minors simply isn't enforced, there are no penalties and no controls." Losseren is calling for a UK-stylegenerational tobacco ban, which wouldprohibit sales of tobacco products to anyone born after 1 January, 2009 effectively raising the smoking age by one year each year until it applies to the whole population. The law, passed by the UK Parliament in March, is expected to take effect in January 2027. Earlier this week, ACT and France's public health agency (SPF) met with MPs to begin working on a similar initiative. Their proposal would make it illegal to sell tobacco including cigarettes, cigarillos and rolling tobacco to anyone born in 2014 or later, throughout their lives. "This measure, which may seem radical, is in fact an extension of the ban on sales to minors," Josseren argues. ACT says7 out of 10French people support the idea of a tobacco-free generation. It aims to place youngsters in a non-smoking, non-consuming environment severing contact with tobacco. "Since they won't have started smoking, they won't want to buy tobacco... We're not depriving them of anything, we're just offering them better health." He stressed that the measure targets sales, not consumption, and adult smokers will still be able to buy and consume tobacco. New Zealand was the first country to pass such a law in 2022, althoughit was scrapped by a subsequent coalition government in February 2024 to help fund tax cuts. Denmark, Malaysia and the American state of Nevada are also debating introducing similar legislation. 'Political courage' The UK law, initially proposed by the then-Conservative government and picked up by its Labour successor, earned broad cross-party backing, despite a few MPs on the right branding it an attack on personal freedom. In France, however, Josseran says gaining support "will need real political courage". So far, two MPs Nicolas Thierry from the Greens and Michel Lauzzana from the centre-right Ensemble coalition support the idea. Both were involved in the recent ban on puffs. But many remain hesitant. "A few are interested, but many are more concerned with the tobacco industry's arguments," Josseren says, noting that every MP has tobacconists in their constituency. "They fear they'll say: 'Be careful, if you bother me I'll tell everyone not to vote for you'." French tobacconists protest at anti-smoking law He acknowledges that a generational tobacco ban would eventually force tobacconists out of business. Meanwhile, he claims the industry is lobbying hard, pouring "several million euros into the National Assembly each year" to block public health laws. The industry is also diversifying. "We're seeing the creation of a nicotine market in which young people can choose between nicotine gum, beads, cigarettes, heated tobacco, chicha, vape..." He added: "It took us two years to ban puffs and already manufacturers are marketing new ways of delivering nicotine. That's why we need an umbrella law to prevent all these new forms coming on to the market." Environmental focus The tobacco industry defends its role in the French economy, citing job creation and tax revenues. Seventy-five percent of the price of a packet of cigarettes is tax an important source of income for the government, at a time when the state coffers are empty. Yet the OFDT says the financial equation weighs heavily against the state. While tobacco brings in around 13 billion per year, healthcare costs and losses in productivity due to early death or illness amount to 20 billion. The total cost of tobacco to French society in 2019 was estimated at 156 billion, including environmental damage and social impact. Cigarette butts, the plastic pollution that's hiding in plain sight Each of the 30 billion cigarette butts discarded annually in France pollutes up to 500 litres of water. Josseren calls it an "environmental horror" involving deforestation, land-grabbing, child labour and pesticide use. "It's an industry that plunders and crushes life everywhere it goes," he says. "The only thing it grows is profits." Anti-smoking campaigns now increasingly focus on tobacco's environmental footprint, which resonates more with young people than health warnings. "Saying that smoking isn't good, that we're going to die from smoking in 40 years' time, doesn't interest young people. I can't blame them," he said. "We have to explain that the environment is the real lever protecting the environment, respecting others. That can lead them to turn away from these products. That's our approach." Originally published on RFI
