Public Health France released a revealing survey on passive smoking last February 7th. The results are mixed. The scourge faced by non-smokers is certainly decreasing in their homes, but unfortunately, it persists in the workplace… An aberration given the law that prohibits it in this context. Hereโs a look back at the conclusions of this survey and the actions that will result from it.
Smoking decreases, electronic cigarettes increaseโฆ
Last May, Public Health France (SPF) had already published a survey on active smoking. The figures confirmed the promises of previous years: 600,000 fewer smokers in 2018 for 500,000 more “vapers”. The success of the electronic substitute and sites like eliquidandco.com had already led to a decrease of one million smokers between 2016 and 2017.
This significant and continuous decline is indeed reflected in the results of the new SPF survey on passive smoking. Conducted from 2017 to 2018 on a sample of nearly 35,000 people, the study reveals that this type of smoking significantly decreases at home. While nearly 28% of the sample reported living with a person smoking in the house in 2014, only 17.6% do today.
This evident consequence of the sharp decline in the number of smokers is encouraging, given the risks faced by passive smoking victims, especially the youngest. It is noteworthy that households where smoking frequency has declined the most in recent years are those with a child, regardless of age.
Tobacco in the workplace: a world apart?
Let us remember that tobacco kills 75,000 people in France each year and remains the leading cause of preventable mortality. Moreover, it is estimated that the number of deaths due to passive smoking is 1,100 annually. It also increases the risk of lung cancer and coronary diseases by 25%.
Passive smoking thus represents a real danger, and to protect workers, the legislation adopted in 2007 prohibits anyone from smoking at the workplace. Despite this ban, the Public Health France survey reveals that nearly 16% of working individuals report being exposed to tobacco smoke inside their work premises.
This figure, stable over several years, seems to constitute a ceiling and suggests a slowdown in the application of anti-smoking regulatory measures. However, there are significant disparities depending on different socio-professional environments. Thus, 27.4% of workers are exposed to the risk of passive smoking, while it concerns only 6.4% of the so-called “higher intellectual” professions.
The publication of this survey and the new data it contains lead to a new action plan. Public Health France is launching a digital information campaign on all smoking cessation assistance measures (more info). Several incentive messages will soon be broadcast on the Internet in banner form to familiarize smoking internet users with the “Tobacco Info Service” phone system, available at 3989.
Let us remember that this number is charged at the price of a normal call. It is designed to facilitate making an appointment with the tobacco specialist who will help you quit smoking: you indeed have the option of making an appointment with this specialist and being called back at the time you have chosen. Moreover, 87% of users of this free service declare themselves satisfied with the support it offers.
