“We are also going to prepare a plan on this subject”, but “the leading cause of death remains tobacco”, declares Aurélien Rousseau

The Minister of Health presented on Tuesday a plan against smoking which causes 75,000 deaths per year in France. There will also be one on alcohol, according to Aurélien Rousseau who clarified on Wednesday that he does not “put nothing into perspective at all”.

After the presentation of the national plan against smoking, “we will also prepare a plan” on alcohol, but “the leading cause of death [évitable] remains the tobacco”declares Aurélien Rousseau Minister of Health, on franceinfo Wednesday November 29. “We are working on it”particularly on “fetal alcoholism”.

Every year in France, smoking causes 75,000 deaths, or an average of 200 deaths per day, according to the latest report from the Ministry of Health and Prevention, published Tuesday, November 28. This same source indicated in August 2023 that alcohol consumption “is the cause of 49,000 deaths per year in France”. On franceinfo Wednesday, Aurélien Rousseau ensures that he does not “puts nothing into perspective” and adds that “alcohol consumption – and even more so the alcohol/tobacco combo – is a major public health issue“.

However, last spring, the Ministry of Health rejected two prevention campaigns on the risks linked to alcohol consumption, one of which should have been broadcast during the Rugby World Cup in September. “Don’t let alcohol knock you out.”, “we drink hard, our health takes a beating”, “drinking alcohol increases the risk of hemorrhagic stroke”we could read on the visuals. “No campaign was banned. We had a real debate on the nature of this campaign”says on franceinfo Aurélien Rousseau.

The ministry actually gave its agreement for another prevention campaign aimed at young people, this time with slogans such as, “also drink water if you consume alcohol”, “take your friends home if they’ve had too much to drink”, “don’t insist if your friends don’t want to consume”. Without responding to criticism from certain associations on the weight of lobbies, the Minister of Health explains that in terms of risk prevention and public health, “you have two, big choices”. He details: “Either, as for example on road safety, you show a horrible accident and it can work; or you provide preventive measures”. He opted for the second option because “80% of 17-year-olds have already drunk alcohol and saying it’s bad is not enough”.

Aurélien Rousseau therefore promises a “very strong campaign” in the coming months on “fetal alcoholism”. A “major subject and still too little known” In France. He “there will be several major public health measures” including against alcohol. But the Minister of Health is keen to educate because, if “some of the people” will understand that it is a matter of public health, others will think “that we want to prevent them from living normally or pick their pockets”.