France - National Committee on Tobacco Control has banned all forms of tobacco advertising ..

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October 31, 2010 - If you have ever been to France, you will immediately notice that many Frenchmen and Frenchwomen smoke. It has become somewhat cultural for the French. Which is why the recent action by the country’s National Committee on Tobacco Control is so radical.

According to the Agence France-Presse (AFP), the National Committee on Tobacco Control has banned all forms of tobacco advertising after discovering than more than 80% of tobacco shops in France violate France’s current advertising laws for tobacco products. Up to this point, tobacco shops were the only type of business permitted to advertise tobacco products in the country; however, the ads were required to be informative, could not exceed 60″ X 80″ in size.

At the initiative of French Ministry of Health, the Committee checked 400 stores. According to reports, the Committee conducting the audit found numerous violations and concluded that most advertising was targeted at young people and did not warn the audience about the dangers of smoking.

Since last November, the price of cigarettes in the country has increased by 6% and the cheapest cigarettes now cost 5.40 euro (7.53 USD).

A further 6% increase in average price of cigarettes and tobacco, scheduled for November 8, 2010 will get the best selling package to 5.90 Euros (8.23 USD) instead of 5.60 (7.81 USD), just one year after the previous increase. (Tobacco: cigarette prices increase by 6% on November 8, Written by Sandeep, Pisqa.com, 10/10/2010)

Last year in France, 60,000 people died from smoking-related illnesses or disease. As a result of these astonishing numbers, the country has deployed a large-scale anti-tobacco campaign.

Euromonitor - Tobacco in France..

References: A Step in the Right Direction: France Bans Cigarette Advertising, Reported by: Emon Middle East correspondent, TechWeek.org, 10/28/2010; Tabacs flouting advert rules, ConnexionFrance.com, 10/27/2010.

France - a few related news briefs:
France - parliament member proposes to impose new taxes on tobacco..;
France - BAT cuts cigarettes prices, also Drum - fine-cut handrolling tobacco (shag);
France - decree signed, graphic warnings on cigarette packs next year..;
France - number of cigarettes sold starts to rise again..;
France - anti-smoking shock ad aimed at teens..;
France - some smokers are flaunting the ban on smoking..;
Cigarette sales in France dropped to a record low in 2008..;
French researchers announced a striking 15% decrease in admissions of patients with myocardial infarction to emergency wards since the public ban on smoking came into effect..;
France - cheaper cigarettes close by in Belgium...
(French)