France, May 31 -- France recently banned single-use vapes and nicotine pouches as part of its plan to foster a tobacco-free generation. But, as the world marks the annual World No Tobacco Day on Saturday, a group of public health advocates and MPs want to go further - by introducing a generational tobacco ban similar to the UK's.

Smoking is no longer as fashionable in France as it was in the days of Serge Gainsbourg chain-smoking Gitanes on TV. Yet it remains the country'sleading cause of preventable death, killing around 75,000 people a year.

It is also linked to heart disease, strokes, type 2 diabetes, asthma, dementia and fertility issues.

Over the past 30 years, France has cracked down on smoking -banning advertising of tobacco pro...