'I sign to increase the price of cigarettes by €5': Allegri joins campaign

"Every year 93,000 people in Italy die from diseases caused by smoking. It is essential not to smoke. This is why I enthusiastically support the campaign promoted by the Italian Medical Oncology Association, the Airc Foundation, the Veronesi Foundation and the Aiom Foundation to ask for a 5 euro increase for each packet of cigarettes. I sign, you sign too'. With these words Massimiliano Allegri, in a video spread on social media, adheres to the '5 euro against smoking' campaign. The Milan coach's signature joins those of more than 15,000 citizens and dozens of patient associations and scientific societies, who have already joined the initiative (https://5eurocontroilfumo.it). All citizens of legal age can sign, by going to the platform of the Ministry of Justice and using the SPID, the CIE (Electronic Identity Card) or the CNS (National Services Card).

"In just a few days we have already reached 30% of the 50,000 signatures needed to submit the popular initiative bill to Parliament, to increase the cost of all smoking and nicotine inhalation products by 5 euros," explains Mauro Boldrini, Director of Communications at Aiom (Italian Association of Medical Oncology). "This is a very important result. We want to make all citizens aware of the value of this campaign, which aims first and foremost to reduce the number of smokers. This is why we are proud of the adhesion of sports personalities such as Massimiliano Allegri. His message can really reach everyone, especially the youngest. In Italy, 24% of citizens smoke. International experience shows that drastically increasing the price of cigarettes is the only effective strategy to reduce the percentage of smokers. Secondly, the increase in revenue brought about by this law can contribute to financing the National Health Service'.

'Prevention is fundamental,' Massimiliano Allegri concludes. 'Healthy lifestyles, starting with no smoking, must be part of every young person's daily routine. Only in this way can we have healthy adults. Sport, especially football, can be the tool to make all citizens understand the role of prevention'.