» Smoking increases in France
Aug 16 2006
7 Comments
France

Smoking increases in France

Fotolia 625273

photo © Franck Boston – FOTOLIA

For the first time ever since 2002, french consumption of tobacco increased by 2,8% between january and may 2006. The government has proposed that like in many european Countries now smoking in public places would be forbidden but with the pressure of the syndicate of tobacco resellers, they delayed the law.

I keep stopping and starting again, sad to say but the fact that you can see smokers everywhere in Paris (most of my friends smoke), especially in restaurants, help me fall again. When I am in the US, Spain or Italy I never feel like smoking because I don’t see that many smokers. I hope this law is in application in France too as soon as possible or will we be the last to ban smokers in restaurant ?

Anyway, I have stopped again for two months and I am quite decided this time, my running helps me a lot not to start again this stupid and terrible habit. What’s fun is that each time I stop for real, I hate smokers, including my friends !

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  • JoAnn Peach

    I smoked off and on for a few years and hadn’t smoked for several years until I moved to Paris. You’re right about how the enivironment around you leads you to smoke again. Even the ‘Non-smoking’ areas aren’t really non-smoking as smoke knows no boundaries.
    There was a lot of complaints from smokers in San Francisco when it was first banned. Smokers even started spreading the word about ‘underground bars’ that would let you smoke anyway. However, after we (and I count myself as a smoker at the moment) realized we didn’t have to come home smelling like we just fought a forest fire, we loved it. It takes a while, but the benefits are worth it.

  • http://claimid.com/pandemia Luca Conti

    Go Loic! Quit Smoking, I am with You :)

  • http://profile.typekey.com/macaia/ macaia

    Loic,
    Where have you been while visiting Spain? In a SPA for elderly people? I live in Spain and Spaniards smoke all the time everywhere. Smoke is not forbidden in public places and is a disaster! I love Spain, but I hate how much they smoke.
    I’m Italian and in Italy things improved dramatically from when the no-smoke law in public spaces was introduced. You can easliy find online statistics quantifying the success. I hope France will follow as soon as possible … but I also know that French people are very resistant to trends supposedly coming from US. Mais oui!

  • http://www.loiclemeur.com/france Loic

    JoAnn I really hope this happens in Paris too. Luca, thanks. Macala, the region of Girona/Rosas north of Barcelona and I can tell you that smokers zones in restaurants (if they exist) are very well respected. Try to light a cigarette and the owner will jump on you to tell you to stop or he gets fined. I love it.

  • http://winebabe.blogspot.com marsha

    Loic> You have to become addicted to not smoking.
    If you want to save your children from this addiction, give them a cigarette now and force them to smoke the entire thing. They may become slightly ill; however, they’ll likely never touch one again.

  • chris

    tough would that be sending out mixed messages? they will become ill yes but they might do it again

  • http://www.francepropertyshop.com Property in France

    I know what you mean about hating others when you quit! Interesting to see a rise, we have just had a total ban in the UK..