[Preventing tobacco sales to minors].

Preventing tobacco sales to minors. Since 2009, selling tobacco products in France to minors less than 18 years of age is forbidden by law, but this law is poorly enforced even though tobacco use mainly begins at adolescence. The aim of this study was to identify measures implemented by foreign countries leading to a better enforcement of tobacco sale ban to minors.

Protocol for creating new warnings on cigarette packs and evaluating their efficacy in a randomised experimental setting.

Introduction: Tobacco smoking is one of the leading causes of preventable death. This is not inevitable as tobacco control tools have become more powerful and more effective. Among these, warnings on cigarette packs have proven to be somewhat effective.

Does smoke cross the border? Cigarette tax avoidance in France.

This paper examines the impact on cigarette sales of the successive increases in cigarette prices in France from 2002 to 2004. Since the price differential between France and neighboring countries increased over the period in question, cross-border purchases became more financially attractive for smokers living near borders. Results from difference-in-differences estimates indicate that the decrease in cigarette sales observed in French border departments was around 20 % higher from 2004 to 2007 compared to non-border departments.

Costs and benefits of improving access to psychotherapies for common mental disorders.

Background: Structured psychotherapies are treatments used in common mental health disorders (CMHDs) that are recommended by international good practice guidelines. Their efficacy and positive impact on health--and thereby on the reduction of related costs for health insurance schemes and society--have been widely demonstrated. However in France, despite the considerable financial burden of CMHDs, psychotherapies with a non-medical psychotherapist are not reimbursed by the health insurance schemes.

Are "Legal Highs" users satisfied? Evidence from online customer comments.

This article describes the results of a clustering analysis of more than 2,100 comments posted by online purchasers of "Legal Highs" on five websites in 2012. The aim is to investigate the reasons for satisfaction/dissatisfaction on the part of legal highs users. Our results show that the reasons for satisfaction depend on the price/quality ratio and the real effects of the product (compared to illicit drugs).

The role of family incomes in cigarette smoking: evidence from French students.

In this paper, we study the smoking behavior of students aged from 18 to 25 using four cross-section data sets collected in France from 1997 to 2006. We focus on the role played by student income and parental resources. We find that both the probability of smoking and the number of cigarettes smoked are positively correlated to family resources.

Economic constraint and modes of consumption of addictive goods.

Background: To see how economic recession, or, more generally, how increased economic constraint amongst drug users may impact their behaviour regarding the mode of drug consumption.

Methods: The theoretical framework is the theory of rational addiction - drug users are considered to be rational and well-informed about the way they use drugs and the consequences of using them. Surveys in the specialist literature dealing with the potential changes in the economic context of drugs users, and with the mechanisms of the bioavailability of psychoactive substances are examined in order to highlight one of the strategies drug users can implement to circumvent economic problems - namely a change in the mode of administration.

Two ways of estimating the euro value of the illicit market for cannabis in France.

Introduction: The most recent health surveys in general population are used in order to estimate the annual market size for cannabis in France in 2005.

Methods: Two methods for arriving at an estimate are proposed: the first based on reported consumption, the other on reported expenditure on cannabis.

Results: The annual sales figure for cannabis in France is between 746 and 832 million euro.