Smoking: Never The First Cigarette

Each year, the French Federation of Cardiology evaluates the behavior of young people vis-a-vis tobacco. At a time when the ban on sales to youth under 16 comes into effect, the survey reveals a real change of behavior.

Smoking is responsible for 60,000 deaths in France, more than one in ten. For four smokers, life expectancy is reduced by an average of 20 years ... and when the addiction sets in adolescence, the damage to the body are particularly important.

New campaign "Never the first cigarette"
France beats the sad record. From the age of 12 years, the small French smoke more than their European cousins ​​... To fight against this destructive behavior and educate teens in the trap of tobacco dependence, the French Federation of Cardiology (FFC) is organizing the operation for seven years "Never the first cigarette". For young people of 10-15 years this awareness campaign has two components:

-  storyboard contest where young people are invited to create an original script on the theme of the refusal of the first cigarette. Proposals should be addressed to the French Federation of Cardiology 4 February 2005 at the latest. Twenty scenarios will be selected by a jury of adults and by a jury of children who retain scenario 5. The winner will then be appointed at the ceremony of "Golden Trophy Hearts", to be held April 2, 2005 .
-  survey on smoking initiation through a questionnaire designed and run by young people themselves. It establishes an annual barometer, validated by the Louis Harris Institute which carries out an identical survey by phone. For the 6th edition of the campaign, the French Federation of Cardiology received over
22000 questionnaires.


The results of the 2003 survey, we can distinguish several trends:

- Tobacco becomes taboo: While in 2002, 10% of those interviewed did not want to disclose their identity, in 2003, 40% are young people aged 10-15 years who prefer to remain anonymous. Two out of five children are concerned, it seems, of being reported to their parents.
-An Increasing pressure of society: children hide their smoking parents, recognizing that the gaze of the other hinders. To the question "Where do you smoke the most?", Young people still respond massively "smoking in the street" (74%), but they are also 36% to "smoking in college or high school" ...
- A radicalization of positions: Non-smokers will empower and display more specific positions: 62% of young people say that "He who does not smoke does not do as others" and 49% of young people (against 43% in 2002) argue that "the smoker is someone stressed out." Conversely, groups of smokers also tend to assert themselves: 24% of young people (against 13% in 2002) meet "He who smoke has many friends." The image "best in class" non-smoking strengthens "the non-smoker is one who listens his parents" (Forgot 66-71% in 2003), "he think especially at school" (from 33 in 2002 to 39% in 2003).
A parent of 4 agrees to see her child smoking: 82% of young smokers respond that their parents say "It is bad for health", 73% that "This does not make them happy," and 39% of them that parents "prohibit them from smoking." But a parent of 2 (51%) know that their child smokes. And 27% of children surveyed say "smoke in front of their parents."

More tobacco sales to under 16

In its statement, the French Federation of Cardiology welcomes this change in behavior. . Professor Thomas, President of the FFC, further emphasizes the commitment of policy in this direction. "The bill passed the Senate Wednesday, February 12, 2003, prohibits the sale of tobacco products to people under 16 years legally and makes this illegal product. We can only congratulate ourselves. " Finally adopted in the framework of the Law of 31 July 2003, regulations for the ban were published September 9, 2004 in the Official Journal.

This prohibition is extended to tobacco products or their ingredients, including especially paper and filter. Failure to comply with this prohibition is punishable by law. An evaluation of the ban on sales to minors under 16 years will be launched by the National Committee against smoking in partnership with the National League against cancer.

According to the National Prevention and Health Education Institute (INPE) since the launch of the action plan against smoking launched by the government in May 2003, the consumption among 15-25 year-olds fell from 18.3 %. To this decline continues, you, crush your last cigarette.