Lower smoking rates and increased perceived harm of cigarettes among French adults one year after comprehensive tobacco control measures (2019)

Context: France has high smoking rates, and recently intensified tobacco control policies spearheaded by the introduction of plain tobacco packaging (PP), and an increase in graphic health warnings (GHW). We examine smoking and e-cigarettes use rates, as well as smoking-related perceptions before (2016) and one year after (2017) comprehensive tobacco control measures.
Methods: DePICT is a two waves cross-sectional national telephone survey of French adults aged 18-64 years (2016: 4456 - 2017: 4114). Data were weighted to be representative of the French adult population. Adjusted prevalence ratios (PR, 95% CI) estimating changes between the two study waves were calculated using multivariate Log-Binomial regression models.
Main Findings: In 2017, as compared with 2016, smoking rates (PR = 0.93 (0.88-0.99) and current e-cigarette use (PR = 0.76 (0.61-0.96)) decreased in France. Further, French adults were more likely to report fear of the consequences of smoking (PR = 1.10 (1.06-1.14)) and that smoking is dangerous (PR = 1.08 (1.06-1.11)). Smokers were also more likely to report that health messages on tobacco products are efficient (PR = 1.18 (1.05-1.32)).
Conclusions: Our study provides early and encouraging results on potential effects of the comprehensive tobacco control strategies in France introduced in 2017, including PP and larger GHW. Our findings also suggest that e-cigarettes did not replace traditional smoking.
Highlights:
Tobacco control was recently strengthened in France.
New tobacco control measures included plain packaging and larger graphic health warnings.
Measures also included mass media campaigns aiming to encourage smoking cessation.
Smoking rates and e-cigarettes use have decreased among French adults.
Perceived harmfulness of smoking has increased among French adults.