On Tuesday, the European Commission called on member states to ban tobacco and vaping in many areas. outdoor spacesincluding bar and restaurant terraces, swimming pools, parks or bus, train or tram stops.
The objective of this recommendation is better protect the people against the effects of second-hand smoke and aerosolsespecially children and young people. However, the new Brussels guidelines are not binding because health policy is the responsibility of the Member States.
“Every year in the EU, 700,000 people lose their lives because of tobaccotens of thousands of which are due to second-hand smoke. In a European Health Union, we have a duty to protect our citizens, especially children and young people, from exposure to smoke and harmful emissions,” said the Cypriot Health Commissioner. Stella Kyriakides.
The recommendation also calls on governments to extend the ban to emerging products, such as heated tobacco products and electronic cigarettes, which are increasingly affecting very young consumers. He does so after World Health Organization (WHO) warned of the negative effects of exposure to these products, including significant respiratory and cardiovascular problems.
In the list of outdoor spaces where smoking and vaping should be banned Recreational areas come first.especially those where children may be frequently present. These include public playgrounds, amusement parks, swimming pools, zoos and similar outdoor areas.
Secondly, the Community Executive recommends declaring outdoor areas associated with service establishments as non-smoking. The ban should include terraces and outdoor (or semi-open) spaces of restaurants, bars, cafes and other similar premises.
Third, Brussels calls for a ban on smoking in all outdoor areas linked to public transport, including bus, tram and train stops, as well as airports. Finally, the ban should also extend to all outdoor spaces linked to health and educational establishments.
The EU’s Beating Cancer Plan has set the goal of creating a “Tobacco-free generation” by 2040in which less than 5% of the population consumes tobacco. This Tuesday’s proposal represents another step forward in efforts to improve preventive health. It also supports the denormalization of tobacco use and emerging products.
Tobacco is the main risk factor for cancerwith more than a quarter of cancer deaths attributed to smoking in the EU, Iceland and Norway. Deaths and other health indicators (such as heart attacks in the general population and improved respiratory health) have improved thanks to smoke-free environments, according to the EU executive.
Brussels encourages Member States to exchange best practices and strengthen international cooperation maximise the impact of measures taken across the EU.
The Commission announces that it will provide support, in particular through a direct grant of €16 million from the EU4Health programme and €80 million from the Horizon programme, to strengthen the fight against tobacco and nicotine and the prevention of addictions.
