PARIS – The glamorous image of cool Parisians brightening a Gauloises while lingering at an outdoor cafe may soon go up in smoke. "In France, tobacco kills 200 people every day," said Health Minister Agnès Buzyn last May: "We must continue this fight against one of the biggest scourges of drugs. In recent years, France has moved horrific photos of sick lungs onto cigarette packs, while forcing companies to remove brand names from blankets and other disincentives such as government reimbursement. cessation aids. The number of daily smokers in France increased from 13.2 million in 2016 to 12.2 million last year.

The measures seem to work.

According to the latest figures published in May by the French Ministry of Health.

Yet 27% of French people continue to brighten each day, one of the highest smoking rates in the European Union, behind Greec and Bulgaria. Sweden has the lowest proportion of 7%, according to the EU.

In the United States, 14% of the population smokes cigarettes, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

"We must fall to the rates of the Anglo-Saxon countries, to about 15-16 percent," Buzyn said:

This is not an easy goal in France because it would mean changing the culture coffee long entrenched that the French seem reluctant to give up.

Tucked away in the residential neighborhood behind Montmartre Hill – an area formerly frequented by Pablo Picasso and other artists – is the 1930s Renaissance cafe, known to residents for its casual atmosphere and by moviegoers for Quentin Tarantino's "Inglorious Basterds" [19659008] It does not matter the weather, the outdoor tables are always full of customers who blow by chatting with friends or watching the world go by.

Since smoking was banned in public spaces in 2007, smokers had to light outside, although some places allow smokers to indulge in after the official closing of the day. Part of the ritual of meeting with friends, "said Benjamin Gourio, 44, a communications consultant who said that he had no intention of giving up his habit of two packs a day. "I had been smoking since I was 16 years old. It was nice to meet friends after school and smoke. "

Her sister, Sylvie Gourio, aged 46, has no regrets about leaving her habit of packing her bags . in high school, as many in France. "I had to stop smoking, because I had no choice.My doctor warned me that I was suffering from respiratory failure if I did not give up" , she said.

Two years ago, she started a program with a government-supported organization that offers free support, and the group offers regular counseling sessions, nicotine patches, and

As a result, she was always smoke-free and discovered some unexpected benefits.

"I found my sense of smell. It's nice to be able to smell the freshly baked bread at the bakery, "she said, referring to the small bakeries in France. "I have also practiced sports, like running, swimming and judo, which have somehow replaced my addiction to smoking."

This is a trend that resonates more and more with the French urban millennials, who are far more health conscious and environmentally conscious than the generations. Vegan and gluten-free cafes, as well as juice bars are quickly replacing traditional bistros as favorite places in Paris.Today, it's not uncommon to exchange a quiet meal – Once French life – to go to the gym

"The new generations have a different attitude and change the image of the 60s but, sitting in a cafe with a drink and a cigarette, "explains Christophe Cutarella, psychiatrist of drug addiction and member of the scientific council of the Ramsay General Health Foundation, a hospital group.

Changes in behavior are reflected in the decline in the number of young smokers. Last year, the number of smokers aged 18 to 24 fell to 35%, compared to 44% in 2016.

The consumption of a cigarette has become less fresh, says Emmanuelle Beguinot, director of the anti-smoking association CNCT

. "Even though smoking is still important in France," she said, "her image is no longer what she was".

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