Just as with tobacco control measures and prevention policies—the public’s perceptions of smoking, its associated risks, and the benefits of quitting can influence behavior. This is why the Cancer Barometer study by Santé publique France and the National Cancer Institute, which regularly surveys the population residing in France on their attitudes and behaviors regarding tobacco, includes questions on these perceptions. Here are the key findings from the latest edition of this Barometer (2015) on these issues. • In 2015, the perception of the cancer risk associated with smoking was very high among the French population; more than nine out of ten people believe that smoking tobacco increases the risk of cancer. • The feeling of being well-informed about the health effects of tobacco is also widespread, with more than nine out of ten people stating they are well or very well informed. The fear of developing cancer due to tobacco affects three-quarters of daily smokers. • However, the perceived thresholds for risk—in terms of number of cigarettes and years smoked—remain high: smokers cite an average of twelve cigarettes per day and sixteen and a half years as the thresholds beyond which a smoker faces a risk of developing tobacco-related cancer. • The socioeconomic differences observed regarding the perceived risk of smoking’s effects persisted in 2015.

- The perceived risk of smoking-related cancer is lower among those with the lowest levels of education and the lowest incomes. - The feeling of being well-informed about the health effects of smoking is also less common among those with no formal education or the lowest levels of education, and among those with the lowest incomes. - As for the perceived threshold of risk at which a smoker is likely to develop cancer, it is also more often above ten cigarettes per day among the unemployed, as well as among those with the lowest incomes and educational levels. These differences in risk perception can be explained by greater distrust of prevention messages, differing views on public policies, targeted marketing strategies by the tobacco industry, and a greater tendency to deny the risk among disadvantaged populations.• The issue of smoking is still rarely discussed with a doctor. Only three out of ten smokers report having discussed smoking with a doctor in the past year, with the initiative coming equally from the smoker and the doctor. No improvement has been observed since 2010.

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See also

Smoking prevalence in 2017

Cancers attributable to lifestyle and the environment in France in 2015