European Commission recommends EU countries widen smoking ban to key outdoor areas
The European Commission (EC) said on September 17 that it has issued a recommendation to European Union countries to extend smoke-free environment policies to key outdoor areas, to better protect people in the EU, particularly children and young people.
“These areas include outdoor recreational areas where children are likely to congregate such as public playgrounds, amusement parks and swimming pools; outdoor areas connected to healthcare and education premises; public buildings; service establishments; and transport stops and stations,” the EC said.
The recommendation says that EU member states should extend smoke-free environment policies to emerging products such as heated tobacco products (HTPs) and electronic cigarettes, which increasingly reach very young users.
This comes after the World Health Organisation (WHO) highlighted the negative effects of exposure to second-hand emissions from these emerging products, including significant respiratory and cardiovascular problems, the EC said.
The EC is encouraging EU member states to exchange best practices and strengthen international cooperation to maximise the impact of the measures taken across the EU.
The Commission will provide support, including through a direct grant worth 16 million euro from the EU4Health programme and 80 million euro from the Horizon Programme, to reinforce tobacco and nicotine control as well as addiction prevention.
The Commission will also develop a prevention toolkit to support the protection of children and young people’s health.
Given that health policy is a member state competence, EU countries are invited to implement these recommendations through their own policies, as they see fit, that is, taking into account their national circumstances and needs, the EC said.
(Photo: Clive Leviev-Sawyer)
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