Despite the implementation of the neutral package in 2016, the fight against tobacco is far from being won in France, which deplores a third of smokers, 220 deaths every day, and an annual health bill of 27 billion euros. The Alliance Against Tobacco therefore surveyed the eleven candidates on their anti-smoking policy.
THE ALLIANCE AGAINST TOBACCO SURVEYS THE ELEVEN PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES
Three candidates did not play the game, immediately denounces the president of the Alliance, Michèle Delaunay: Jacques Cheminade, Jean-Luc Mélenchon, and François Fillon. The former minister also judged the response of François Asselineau empty of content behind big words, and that of Jean Lassalle few precise points being still subject to « consultation with his team ».
Note, by chance of the calendar, the candidate of La France insoumise was awarded a 20 out of 20 by a group of seven public health experts (including some members of the Alliance) as part of a more broad on health security, published on April 12 in " the world ", In particular because he undertakes to increase the price of a packet of cigarettes to 10 euros in 2017, and 20 euros at the end of the five-year term.
If the eight candidates who responded to the Alliance are sensitive to the harmful effects of tobacco and display their unanimity on the establishment of group action against tobacco manufacturers, lines of demarcation appear, in the first place , on the question of the price of tobacco (10 years in 2 years) and the harmonization of the prices of cigarettes, roll-your-own, expanded or tube tobacco. The Communist candidate Jean Lassalle is opposed to it, just like ... Marine Le Pen, on the grounds that the increase in taxes would weigh on the most disadvantaged households. Conversely, « Emmanuel Macron is the only one to have announced in meeting the package to ten euros », greet Michèle Delaunay.
The other candidates undertake, beyond the 10 euro package, to develop access to nicotine substitutes. They must be free of charge, according to Philippe Poutou. « We must not only penalize or make people feel guilty, but finance all means of aid to 
weaning, medications, patches, vaping, etc. » said Dr Philippe Sopena, support of Benoît Hamon. Nicolas Dupont-Aignan souhaite « encourage smokers to vape in order to gradually wean themselves ", he writes. The Alliance Against Tobacco had not addressed the issue of vaping “Because tobacco companies are investing in this market; we do not want to make a medicine, over which we will no longer have control » Michèle Delaunay clarified.
Another point of divergence is the implementation of the recommendations of the framework convention of the World Health Organization on tobacco control (CCLAT) and of the European system to combat the illicit tobacco trade, signed by France and the European Union. « Some provisions may be modulated or adapted to take into account the national context », writes Mickael Ehrminger, for Marine Le Pen. « Treaties with the European Union will be denounced, but the fight against illicit trade will be included in bilateral and trilateral projects with neighboring countries », explains Alexis Villevelet, for Nicolas Dupont-Aignan. As for Philippe Poutou, if he answers in the affirmative, he denounces the permeability of the WHO to pro-tobacco lobbies.
Finally, all candidates undertake to strengthen controls to ensure compliance with the legalization in force, in particular for the ban on smoking in places of collective use and the ban on sales to minors.
Source : Lequotidiendumedecin.fr/
