The true or false junior answers questions about tobacco and electronic cigarettes

François Topart, study manager at the National Committee against Smoking, answers questions from middle school students on the risks of tobacco and electronic cigarettes.

On the occasion of World No Tobacco Day, last week, students from André-Derain colleges in Yvelines, Emiles-Combes in Bordeaux and Mont-Sauvy in Bouches-du-Rhône, questioned François Topart, from the Committee national against smoking, where he is a study manager.

Tobacco consumption in sharp decline among young people

Tesnime read “that in 2023, 12 million French people smoked” and she wonders if it’s true. “Yes, it’s true” replies François Topart, “around 24.5% of French adults smoke, but the good news is that tobacco consumption is declining significantly among young people and there are less than 7% of 17-year-old adolescents who smoked daily in 2022 compared to more than 25% in 2017.”

Tobacco, leading cause of lung cancer

Romane wonders if it is true that tobacco is the leading cause of lung cancer and Lucie read “that smoking causes 82% of lung cancers in Europe”she wonders if it’s true.

Yes, it’s true according to François Topart, “since tobacco consumption is responsible for more than eight out of ten lung cancers, but unfortunately it is not the only cancer it causes since tobacco increases the risk of developing cancer of the larynx, mouth, esophagus, liver, or even pancreas.“In all, there are 17 cancer sites that are caused by tobacco consumption.

Passive smoking, responsible for a million deaths each year

Louise wonders if it’s true”that being near a person, when they smoke, is harmful to us“It’s true, according to François Topart, “It is globally estimated that of the eight million deaths that tobacco causes worldwide each year, one million involve non-smokers.“

This is also why measures banning smoking in public spaces are put in place. In this regard, Jeanne wonders if “a law is planned in France to restrict tobacco”. François Topart explains that “the government presented its national program to combat smoking and one of the flagship measures of this program is to increase the number of tobacco-free spaces, notably beaches and public parks.“

A law which adds to the multiple increases in the price of cigarettes in recent years which aim to dissuade smokers, particularly young people, from buying them. Until then, the price of a pack of 20 cigarettes reached 11 euros for most brands and with this law, the pack should reach 12 euros next year, then 13 euros in 2027.

The longer you smoke, the higher your risk.

Hugo wonders if “lTaking tobacco, even in very small quantities, can have a significant effect on physical and mental health“.

“Yesreplies François Topart, because we tend to believe that smoking one or two cigarettes a day is not very dangerous, but this is false, because what is decisive is to see the duration for which we will be a smoker.” In other words, the longer you smoke, 10 years, 20 years, 30 years, the more you expose yourself to high risks.

One in four high school students have already used an electronic cigarette

Nolan wonders if it’s true “that more than 40% of young people vape” and Lana saw that “15% of adolescents have already used a puff”. François Topart notes that “the consumption of electronic cigarettes tends to increase among young people, with nearly one in four high school students being an occasional user of electronic cigarettes, therefore at least once a month“. They were 16.6% in 2022, so we see that there is an increase which is quite rapid.

And this is true for puff, according to figures from the alliance against tobacco: 15% of adolescents have already consumed a puff. Note that for half of them, they had never consumed nicotine before.