A non-smoking France? Non merci
AS THE well-publicised dangers of smoking cause tobacco consumption to decline in countries worldwide, France, home to Gitanes, Gauloises and the ubiquitous smoke-filled café, is bucking the trend.
For the first time since the French government increased cigarette prices by 40 per cent in 2002, causing tobacco sales to plunge a third, sales of tobacco in France are once again on the rise.
Figures released this week by the French Confederation of Tobacconists show that tobacco sales in France have increased by 2.8 per cent in the first five months of this year in comparison with the same period in 2005.
For five years, the anti-smoking lobby in France has been able to draw comfort from the fact that the number of smokers was decreasing, with the percentage of the population aged between 12 and 75 who smoke falling from 33.1 per cent in 2000 to 29.9 per cent in 2005.
The latest figures are causing concern among health professionals. A vast number of ex-smokers taking up the habit again, a wave of new smokers or a sharp drop in the number of French smokers buying their cigarettes across the border in Germany or Spain, where prices can be up to 2.25 cheaper, have all been cited as possible reasons for the rise.
"If it is because of new young smokers, then that would be a catastrophe," said Yves Martinet, president of the National Committee Against Tobacco Consumption, who blames the government for failing to reinforce its initial offensive.
"The battle against tobacco use is effective if it is supported by different actions," said Mr Martinet. "The countries where it worked increased prices, but also banned smoking in the workplace and in public places, launched education campaigns, banned sales to under-16s and offered help to those who want to quit," he said.
Even raising prices only remains effective if subsequent price hikes are introduced and backed up with other dissuasive measures, experts say. After raising the price of a packet of cigarettes to 5 in 2002, the then prime minister Jean-Pierre Raffarin froze cigarette prices until 2007 after caving in to the powerful tobacconists' lobby, who accused the government of depriving them of a livelihood.
French doctors have expressed their disappointment that the government recently suspended plans to ban smoking in public places.
Critics accuse the beleaguered prime minister Dominique de Villepin of dragging his feet over the measure in the run-up to next year's presidential elections.
