Tightened Measures Reduced Smokers in France by 1 Million in a Year
France has seen a sharp fall in the number of people smoking daily, with one million fewer lighting up from 2016-2017, the BBC reports.
There has also been a decline in smoking among teenagers and those on low incomes.
According to Public Health France, which carried out the study, such a drop has not been seen in a decade.
In 2017, 26.9% of 18- to 75-year-olds smoked every day, compared with 29.4% a year earlier. This amounts took a drop from 13.2 million smokers to 12.2 million over the period.
Recent years have seen neutral packaging, reimbursements for people using tobacco substitutes, higher cigarette pricing and campaigns like the national tobacco-free month. The survey suggests that these measures resulted in the sharp decline of the number of smokers.
New tobacco regulations entered into force in Georgia on May 1. Smoking tobacco, including electronic cigarettes and hookah, is prohibited in all enclosed areas, with the exception of houses, psychiatric clinics, penitentiary facilities and casinos.
Smoking of cigars is only allowed in cigar-bars, where food products are not sold. A special license is necessary to open such a bar.
In the first instance of violation, institutions are being fined GEL 500. In case of repeated violation, the fine goes up to GEL 1000. Individuals who break the law can expect a GEL 50 fine and, in case of repeated violation, the fine will be doubled.
Smoking in air, sea or land public transport also carries a penalty. The driver of the transport is to be fined 500 GEL, and if repeated, this will be doubled. However, if an individual person smokes on land public transport, the violator is to be fined 100 GEL.
For violation of rules in air or rail transport, the violator is to be fined 50 GEL, which will be doubled in case of repeat violation.
In Georgia, 11,400 people die every year due to non-infectious diseases caused by tobacco consumption. Of them, 2,000 are non-smokers.
As Director of the Disease Control Center, Amiran Gamkrelidze, stated, Georgia is in alarming position with mortality rates from tobacco.
The statistics say that 57% of men in Georgia are active smokers, while every year the number of women smokers doubles. Every fourth underage in Georgia is said to be a tobacco consumer.
In general, around 1.5 million Georgians out of a total 3,718,200 people are active smokers, and 15% of these are underage.
Georgian authorities hope that the new regulations will help to decrease the number of smokers in the country.
By Thea Morrison