5 June 2014 – Following the French government’s announcement of their intention to introduce standardised packaging for cigarettes, EPHA issued an open letter to Marisol Touraine, the French Minister for Health to support the initiative. Evidence shows that standardised tobacco packaging reduces tobacco consumption, which is one of the main risk factors of cancers, cardiovascular diseases (CVD), heart attacks, strokes and chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases (COPD).