Tobacco consumption is still the leading cause of premature death. In the Grand Est, where there are 1.2 million daily smokers, three cities have decided to act: Joinville (Haute-Marne), Mulhouse (Haut-Rhin) and Thionville. These “pilot” cities will experiment, in the coming weeks, with the locally appropriate implementation of a set of tobacco control measures. The ambition is to improve the health and quality of life of their inhabitants (smokers or not) by eventually becoming “Tobacco Free Cities”.
The “Tobacco-Free Pilot Cities” project is proposed by the Grand Est Tobacco Free Association (GEST) and the National Committee against Tobacco (CNCT). It is funded by the Regional Health Agency (ARS) Grand Est and the Interministerial Mission for the Fight against Drugs and Addictive Behaviors (Mildeca).
A WHO health city since 2015, Thionville has made health a major focus of its policy. Among these various actions in favor of improving the health of its inhabitants, in particular childhood obesity, the fight against smoking is a cause close to the heart of the municipal team and of Doctor Pierre Cuny, mayor of Thionville and president of the Portes de France Thionville agglomeration community.
“From the first contacts with Grand Est sans Tabac and the ARS, the City of Thionville naturally proposed itself as the pilot city of the project”, comments Pierre Cuny.
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“This is not a witch hunt”
Concretely, how will it happen? During the month of November, designated Tobacco-Free Month, the City of Thionville will mobilize with, as a first step, an information campaign aimed at the 770 agents of the City and the 340 agents of the Portes de France Thionville. “From November, agents who wish will have the possibility of making up to three appointments during their working time with health professionals specializing in tobacco issues: tobacco specialist, sophrologist or dietitian”, continues the mayor of Thionville. . “Smoker or non-smoker, these meetings will be an opportunity to take stock of their tobacco consumption, their motivation and the resources available to support them or a member of their entourage, in their process of stopping smoking. “
In a second step, the Free Town Without Tobacco Operation will be deployed in Thionville, intended for the general public and will, through various communication media, make residents aware of the harmful effects of smoking, which are already well known. “This is not a witch hunt” defends Pierre Cuny. “Smokers can still smoke in the city. The objective of this project is to move towards a denormalization of tobacco. Very soon, therefore, there will be a sanctuary of certain areas where smoking will be prohibited, such as municipal parks, in front of schools, sports complexes or hospitals. It seems so obvious to me, ”he concludes.
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