The prevention of smoking-related diseases has entered a new phase. Smokers and non-smokers alike have become overwhelmingly in favour of smoking bans at work and in public places (recent polls in France showed that around 80% of the population is in favour of the ban). Many countries, including France, have ratified the World Health Organization’s Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC) which came into effect on 27 February 2005. Countries signing up to the agreement committed themselves to introducing new governance that would enable them to implement various actions in the most effective way. The European Union (EU) is also proposing to reinforce national policies on tobacco control.

At the same time, politicians at the highest level have taken this objective on board and schemes such as the “Plan Cancer” were launched by the French President in 2003. Unfortunately, the tobacco industry …