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According to a study revealed by the Alliance Against Tobacco, the monthly budget of a smoker is on average 207 euros. A sizeable budget that regularly cuts back on basic necessities and widens social inequalities.
207 euros per month, or 2,484 euros per year, the equivalent of a return flight to the end of the world, this is what a regular smoker spends on average according to a study conducted by the Alliance Against Tobacco (ACT) revealed on January 9. An expense that is not only a matter of individual freedom: according to the collective, “the tobacco industry does not only ruin health”. In fact, the entire household budget is impacted by this money allocated to tobacco.
To smoke, the poorest give up basic necessities
Thus, the study reveals that it is the poorest households that are the most impacted by these cigarette purchases, going so far as to cut back on more necessary expenses. “The tobacco can represent up to 30% of the expenses of a household living below the poverty line.” announces the ACT. Other figures are telling : “one in five French people admits having given up certain purchases or certain activities to support their tobacco consumption” reveals the study. These sacrifices are all the stronger among young people (42% of 25-34 year olds) and among parents (29% of people with a child under 18).
“Among them, half have given up basic necessities such as food, health costs or hygiene products”assesses the Alliance Against Tobacco.
An awareness campaign to stop the vicious circle of tobacco
ACT says so : “The lower the income, the higher the prevalence of daily smoking”, and the consequent expenses. Thus, according to the figures, there are twice as many daily smokers among the French with the lowest incomes as among those with the highest incomes.
To stop this vicious circle, the collective launched an awareness campaign on January 2 “to demonstrate that beyond increasing the financial difficulties of smokers, tobacco consumption widens social and health inequalities”.
Thus, a first poster campaign since January 2 wishes you, on behalf of the tobacco industry, a bad year 2023.
And from January 30, a second campaign will aim to draw a parallel between the money spent and the other areas that the consumer misses under the theme “And you, what is the tobacco industry depriving you of? ”
A campaign that finally militates to put in place incentive measures to stop smoking, as close as possible to the most modest households. For the Act it is today “necessary to improve information on the prescription and reimbursement of nicotine substitutes”see to consider “the free treatment”.
“If prescribed substitutes were 100% reimbursed, more than three-quarters of smokers believe they would be more motivated to quit” concludes the group.