Smoke-Free Air in France

Smoking was deeply rooted in French culture, and the level of public understanding of the health hazards of smoking and exposure to secondhand smoke was low, even just a decade ago. To many critics, the failure of the 1991 Évin law to curtail public indoor smoking was proof that French culture was simply not ready for smoke-free air. The completion of the FCTC and the passage of national smoke-free laws in Ireland and Italy forced the issue to resurface, and civil society grabbed the opportunity. The French experience included a number of tactics that may be universally employed:

• Ensure that campaigners speak with one voice
• Recruit high profile champions
• Recruit allies from outside the public health community
• Work closely with public health officials as well as the medical community
• Demonstrate public support
• Utilize litigation as a tool for public health.