EU member states have approved the European Commission’s recommendation to extend the smoking ban to outdoor spaces, including open-air areas of cafes, playgrounds, and public transport stops.
The ban, approved at the EU Health Ministers’ Council, covers not only traditional cigarettes but also new tobacco products, such as e-cigarettes and heated tobacco products, which are particularly popular among young people.
However, the extension of the ban is not binding, and each country can decide whether to implement it. Euronews asked the public for their opinions.
“Open-air hospitality spaces are a marvellous invention. Taking away the right to smoke feels like cutting off smokers’ ability to enjoy the space,” said one customer.
“Certainly, there will be people who won’t visit these establishments as often if this ban goes through,” said a waiter.
Active and passive smoking is a public health issue. Smoking is attributed to 27% of cancers, while e-cigarettes emit toxic substances that cause heart and lung diseases, according to the World Health Organisation. Public health organisations welcomed the revision of the smoking ban for the first time since 2009.
“It’s been 15 years. In 2009, heated tobacco products didn’t even exist, and e-cigarettes were in their infancy. Now we face these new challenges. Clearly, they must be included in the ban,” said Lilia Olefir, Director of the Smoke-Free Life organisation.
In addition to protecting the public from second-hand smoke, the expansion of smoke-free spaces aims to change social habits, so the new generation does not take up smoking after seeing smokers.
“It is crucial for us that smoke-free spaces become the new social norm. We want to make a significant effort to create a societal constant so that children born today or under 10 years old never smoke or vape,” said Suzanne Gabriels, Tobacco Control Specialist at the Belgian Cancer Foundation.
The text presented to the EU Health Ministers for approval was not easy to formulate, as there was intense political debate in the European Parliament between advocates of individual freedoms and those calling for stricter anti-smoking legislation.
Smoking and vaping statistics in the EU
In 2023, it was estimated that 54% of current and former smokers had started smoking regularly before the age of 19, and 14% had started before the age of 15, during childhood.
The use of emerging nicotine products, especially among young people, is associated with addiction and can serve as a gateway to later use of traditional tobacco products.
It is important not only to consider recent market developments and technological advancements related to emerging products but also to better coordinate and foresee national regulatory frameworks for smoke- and aerosol-free environments in the future.
Currently, there is significant second-hand exposure to smoke and aerosols in places like outdoor hospitality areas and outdoor spaces intended for children and teenagers. In the 2023 Eurobarometer survey, 74% of respondents said they had encountered people smoking in outdoor terraces in the last six months, and 71% said they had encountered people smoking e-cigarettes and heated tobacco products in such spaces. Additionally, 42% of respondents reported seeing people smoking in outdoor areas intended for children and teenagers, while 49% reported encountering people using e-cigarettes and heated tobacco products in such spaces.
Also read: UK: NHS to offer anti-smoking pill
Source: euronews.gr
