Prevention of risky behavior among young people is invited to summer festivals

Mutualité Française Sud, in partnership with the PACA Regional Health Agency (ARS), the Alpes-Maritimes Departmental Council, CoReSS (1), the Nice Foundation and SOS Solidarités, has just launched the 24th edition of its summer campaign to prevent risky behavior in party environments (2). Present at around thirty major events, such as Nuits du Sud in Vence, the Nice Jazz Festival, Plage Electro in Cannes and the Beach Sport Festival in Saint-Laurent-du-Var, this initiative aims to reach out to young people to promote health, prevent addictions and encourage the adoption of responsible behavior.

During this morning presentation, Justine Lorsolo, head of health prevention at Mutualité Française, detailed the diversity of tools that will be offered throughout the summer at the stands: "CO-testers to raise awareness about quitting or reducing smoking, internal and external condoms, glass protection against chemical submission, earplugs for hearing protection, breathalyzers and breathalyzers for alcohol, as well as "roll your straw" kits to limit the risks of transmission during nasal consumption..." Self-assessment questionnaires and a calmer discussion space will also allow for individual questions to be addressed, while the presence of health professionals will facilitate referrals to the Free Information, Screening, and Diagnostic Centers (CeGIDD). "We are not here to judge young people, but to support them. The idea is to reduce risks and harm: if you consume, you must do so knowingly, without getting behind the wheel ," she insisted.

This summer, the campaign will be enhanced with a new component: sun protection. As Julie Valbousquet, head of "Health Prevention and Promotion" at the Alpes-Maritimes Departmental Council, pointed out, "80% of skin cancers are due to overexposure to the sun." This is why, during daytime events, sunscreens will be distributed and awareness-raising activities will be carried out by the teams, particularly at Plage Electro.

Beyond reducing the risks associated with addiction, sexual health will remain a key concern. Salim Fakir, coordinator of CoReSS, pointed out that condom use is declining among young people: " In 2023, only 49.4% of women and 52.6% of men used a condom during their first sexual encounter with a new partner. In Paca Est, 77 new cases of HIV were recorded in 2024." Throughout the summer, the prevention campaign teams will also be active on social media and will post prevention messages online, under the name "Safe Riviera."

1. The two COREVIH POC and PACA EST are merging to form a single CoReSS (Regional Coordination Committee for Sexual Health). 2. Also present were Lionel Leguen, president of the French mutual insurance company Paca; Hervé Cael, Health Delegate for the city of Nice and president of the Order of Physicians for the South Paca region; and Hafid Belhocine, Deputy Delegate for Tourism in Vence.