-
France urges flu vaccination after 17,000 deaths last winter
Last year’s season was particularly severe due to ‘low vaccination coverage’, experts say
-
Air traffic controller defends colleagues over near-fatal air crash at Nice
He blames airport lighting issues and claims ‘staff are deeply affected’ over the incident
-
Dordogne runs anti-mosquito operation after chikungunya outbreak
The campaign is ‘preventative’, with affected residents asked to stay indoors and bring in pets and washing
More French than ever trying to quit smoking
Some 300,000 people have bought nicotine supplements since September, figures reveal

Sales of anti-smoking aids in France have risen sharply in the past three months.
As November's Mois sans tabac draws to a close, it has been revealed that more than 300,000 people have been buying nicotine substitutes since September, according to Franceinfo.
That figure is the highest ever, according to officials, and comes after the government added non-smoking aids such as patches and gums to the list of products that can be reimbursed. Following that decision, which replaced a €150 refund for products that help people quit, the number of prescriptions for such products has jumped 66%.
Currently, the cost of 40% of patches or gums on the market are eligible for reimbursement by the state. From January 1, all such products will be included on the list.
The average price of a pack of 20 cigarettes is set to hit €10 early next year.
Stay informed:
Sign up to our free weekly e-newsletter
Subscribe to access all our online articles and receive our printed monthly newspaper The Connexion at your home. News analysis, features and practical help for English-speakers in France