“Oh, I’m happy. I blew into their co-tester and I no longer have a trace of carbon monoxide. And I can feel it in my breath,” says Jean-Louis, very happy with this good result, one week after starting his attempt to quit smoking. This November, the national tobacco-free month campaign is in full swing. Last Saturday the anti-smoking village stopped at the Saint-Girons market to provide tests, advice and encouragement to people in the process of quitting or seriously wanting to take action. A source of satisfaction and encouragement when, like Jean-Louis, we immediately measure the positive effects. For others, it is above all an opportunity to measure one’s dependence on tobacco and its products which are harmful to health and to put in place a personal struggle strategy to escape this addiction. An initiative supported by the Promotion Santé Occitanie association which carries out a tour throughout the month in the towns and villages of Occitanie. “The idea is to offer an exchange with people who have questions about tobacco, themselves or a loved one,” presents Anne-Lise Delpy, territorial referent for Ariège. All morning a regular flow of people came to get information, men, women, but also young people for whom the industry competes with marketing techniques to seduce them. “We also offer people a motivational interview to help them quit.” With this idea in mind, the process of change is always long. “You have to adapt the approach and know how to get support.”
Health
