France’s tobacco-free month sees a 54% increase in participation

France’s tobacco-free month, the “Mois sans Tabac,” was launched in 2016 and saw immediate, resounding success. The 2018 edition has also been extremely successful, thanks to a significant increase in the number of participants. Today, it appears that the general public is finally aware of the importance of initiatives to fight tobacco addiction.

 France’s tobacco-free month ended on December 1. Initial numbers reveal that 241,000 people participated, a 54% increase from last year, an increase of 84,000 participants from 2017!

For France’s public health agency, this is great news, further proving the importance of fighting tobacco addiction. The 2017 edition was a disappointment, with only 157,000 participants compared to 180,000 in 2016. However, this year’s rise in participation isn’t the only good news.

A major success for the 2018 edition

If more French people than ever participated in the “Mois sans Tabac,” it is because of new strategies that were carefully put in place. The e-coaching application offered by France’s public health service was particularly successful, with over 86,000 downloads in the last few weeks.

At the same time, the Tobacco Information Services hotline reported 21,000 calls, a major increase from previous years. Social networks also helped increase turnout, with over 120,000 fans on Facebook and 5,000 new followers on Twitter.

This year’s success shows just how interested the general public is in initiatives to fight tobacco addiction. More and more smokers want to quit smoking cigarettes, and of course nicotine substitutes have also played a major role in helping people quit smoking for good.