Fecha de publicación: 03/12/2024 Fuente: Tobacco Reporter Lugar: Featured Credit: Doganmesut






EU countries agreed Tuesday on a push for stricter anti-smoking rules, backing bans on smoking and vaping in many outdoor areas, including playgrounds and cafe patios.



Health ministers from the bloc’s 27 nations meeting in Brussels adopted a recommendation inviting member states to crack down on secondhand smoke and vapor.



“Today’s agreement is a crucial step towards our goal of a tobacco-free generation in Europe and is critical in protecting our children and young people from the harmful effects of second-hand smoke,” said the EU’s health commissioner, Oliver Varhelyi.



The recommendation is non-binding, as health is the responsibility of individual member states. However, it indicates the policies governments could pursue in the future as they seek to reduce smoke-related deaths and ailments.



It passed with all countries voting in favor apart from Germany and Greece, which abstained, underscoring some political divisions. Last week, the European Parliament voted against a similar text, according to media.



The document approved on Tuesday calls on EU countries to extend restrictions in place for cigarettes to cover “emerging products”, such as heated tobacco devices and electronic cigarettes that are increasingly popular with young people. Governments should “provide effective protection” from aerosols emitted by these in indoor environments such as offices and public buildings.



Following an initial proposal put forward by the European Commission in September, the text says such protection should also be granted in some outdoor areas. This, in practice, entails that all smoking should be banned in locations including swimming pools, beaches, zoos, rooftop bars, and restaurant terraces.