Smoke Free Partnership (SFP) fully supports the adoption of strengthened Council Recommendation on smoke- and aerosol-free environments during the EPSCO meeting on the 3rd of December 2024. The evidence is irrefutable, public support is unwavering, and the time to act is now.

Smoke Free Partnership: Europe Must Act Decisively to Protect Public Health from Tobacco and Aerosol Harms

Brussels, 2 December 2024 – Smoke Free Partnership (SFP) fully supports the adoption of strengthened Council Recommendation on smoke- and aerosol-free environments during the EPSCO meeting on the 3rd of December 2024.

The evidence is irrefutable, public support is unwavering, and the time to act is now. Lilia Olefir, Director Smoke Free Partnership, said: “This decision is not only about reducing exposure to toxic emissions; it is about resisting an industry that thrives on exploiting loopholes in regulation, under the pretence of so-called industry innovation.

The majority of Europeans (66%) are in favour of banning the use of e‐cigarettes or heated tobacco products.” According to the 2023 Eurobarometer, there is high support also in countries like, Germany 65%, Romania 54%, Croatia 69%, Slovakia 68%, Italy 62%, Cyprus 65%, Czechia 60%, the Netherlands 84%, Ireland 72%, Belgium 72%, Portugal 72%.

The EU's first recommendation on smoke-free policies was adopted in 2009, and smoking in public places has significantly decreased over the past 15 years. However, the 2009 recommendation did not account for new products that have since emerged. The two main changes included in the proposal are:

• Expanding smoking ban to new products like e-cigarettes/vapes and heated tobacco products

• Covering some outdoor places smoke and aerosol free for example, playgrounds, hospitals and areas around schools

Why is this important;

• Protecting children and youth from second- and third-hand smoke and aerosols Young Europeans are the demographic group most exposed to second- and third-hand smoke, according to the results of the 2023 Eurobarometer. Almost 40% of Europeans saw people smoking the last time they visited outdoor spaces intended for children or adolescents (such as playgrounds, and nursery and school courtyards).

Vaping rates among 15- to 24-year-olds have risen, from 4% to 6% in the period between 2020 and 2023 and heated tobacco products use reached 2%. This increase highlights the urgency of implementing effective public health measures.

• World Health Organisation evidence on aerosols The 2023 WHO report on the global tobacco epidemic clearly states that aerosols and emissions released by heated tobacco products and e-cigarettes contain toxicants, and exposure to them poses risks to non-users.

• Existing best practices Many EU countries, including Belgium, Estonia, Finland, France, Hungary, Ireland, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Poland, Slovenia, Sweden, and Austria, already have restrictions or bans on using e-cigarettes and heated tobacco products in public spaces. An EU-level Recommendation cannot be weaker than policies of the majority of the Member States.

• Public health priorities Tobacco consumption remains the leading cause of preventable cancer, with 27% of all cancers attributed to tobacco use. Tobacco use not only causes cancer; in the EU, cardiovascular diseases kill more people than any other disease, and almost 8% of the EU population (around 128,000 people) die from CVD caused by smoking. Thus, adopting the revised Recommendation is fully aligned with the European Beating Cancer Plan (EBCP), aiming to reduce preventable deaths and cardiovascular diseases, and achieving a 5% tobacco prevalence level by 2040.

Lobbying to keep businesses as usual.
The tobacco industry consistently tries to influence policymaking when the European Commission takes steps to protect public health. The tobacco industry spent €37-48 million during the period of 2019-20226 . Additionally, the number of registered lobbying meetings between MEPs and the tobacco industry has already reached 33 since June 2024.