First launched in 2016, this anti-smoking campaign relies on collective momentum by encouraging smokers to quit together for 30 days in November. A smoke-free month increases the chances of quitting smoking for good by five times, because after 30 days of abstinence, the addiction is much weaker and withdrawal symptoms (nervousness, irritability) are less pronounced.

#SmokeFreeMonth 2018 by the numbers

More than 241,691 people registered, a 54% increase compared to 2017.

Many participants used support tools, confirming the importance of having guidance during the quitting process to increase the chances of success:

• The e-coaching app developed by the French National Health Insurance in partnership with Santé publique France and with the support of the Francophone Society of Tobacco Control was downloaded nearly 86,000 times.

• More than 21,000 people called 39 89, the Tabac Info Service hotline.

• The engagement of participants and their supporters was evident on social media, with 118,000 fans on the Tabac Info Service #MoisSansTabac Facebook page and 4,900 followers on Twitter.

On-the-ground initiatives with partners

More than 200 national and regional partners came together to make this year’s campaign a success. Thousands of events were organized across the country to inform smokers and support participants in #MoisSansTabac, such as the Escape Game at the Cité des Sciences et de l’Industrie and information booths set up in hospitals, businesses, and municipal centers. The Health Insurance program, for its part, supported more than 300 community initiatives to assist smokers in quitting across the country.