During the month without tobacco operation launched in France on November 1st, kits to quit smoking will be issued free of charge in pharmacies.
This is a first in France. Smokers will be able to meet the challenge of not just not smoking for a day but for a whole month from the 1st November. From the 10th October, they can visit the pharmacy for a free “Toolkit to stop” , said Thursday Health Minister Marisol Touraine.
This Toolkit includes a preparation booklet, a 30-day calendar with daily tips and a disc to calculate the savings.
As part of this “mois sans tabac’ , smokers will be encouraged to stop smoking for at least 30 days from the 1st November.
“More than one in two smokers wants to stop”
“More than one in two smokers want to quit, ‘mois sans tabac’ will help them,”said Marisol Touraine presenting the transaction to be attended by more than 50 partners, including public bodies, associations, media and large companies.
The 30-day period was chosen because it “multiplies by 5 the chances of quitting smoking for good”, according to the Ministry of Health.
A successful experience in the UK
This action is inspired by a campaign launched in Britain in 2012: “Stoptober”, promoting to stop smoking during the month of October. The experience was conclusive since helped many Britons to stop smoking.
In the UK, smokers do today represent more than 18% of the population aged over 15 years against nearly a third in France, one of the bad pupils in Europe, with 73 000 deaths attributed annually to tobacco.
To encourage smokers to participate in the operation “mois sans tabac”, a communication campaign will be launched on October 10th in television, on the internet and on the streets.
Découvrez le spot TV de la campagne #MoisSansTabac pic.twitter.com/zRoS3cOVLR
— MinSocialSanté (@MinSocialSante) October 6, 2016
Medical consultations and sporting challenges
The starting signal of the collective challenge will be given on the 1st November. Throughout the month, events will be organized (aid consultations stationary, sporting challenges …) in different places (collective spaces, leisure areas, commercial spaces, … companies).
They may also rely on the application Tabac Info Service, a system of information and help to stop smoking, which has existed since 1998 but has been completely redesigned for the occasion. Tabac Info service is available on the website www.tabac-info-service.fr via mobile Tabac Info Service or by phone at 39 89.
