Citizens' initiative calls for a European tobacco-free generation by 2030

On Wednesday, August 24, the European Commission registered a new European Citizens' Initiative (ECI) supported by several European associations, entitled "Call for a tobacco-free environment and the first European tobacco-free generation by 2030"The organizers of the initiative are calling on the Commission to propose legislation to prevent new generations from becoming addicted to tobacco and to take action against the environmental damage linked to its consumption.

Following registration, organizers have six months to begin collecting signatures. If a European Citizens' Initiative receives 1 million statements of support within a year, from at least seven different Member States, the Commission will have to respond. It may decide whether or not to grant the request, and must explain its decision.

A coherent set of measures to achieve a tobacco-free generation

The initiators hope that European legislation will prevent young people from starting to use tobacco while limiting its environmental impact. To achieve this, they recommend several measures:

- Promote the first European tobacco-free generation by 2028, by ending the sale of tobacco and nicotine products to citizens born since 2010;

- Create a European network of smoke-free beaches and riverbanks, making these spaces healthier and more ecologically sustainable;

- Create a European network of smoke-free national parks, to make them healthier and reduce cigarette butt pollution and fire risks;

- Expand tobacco- and vaping-free outdoor spaces, particularly those frequented by minors (parks, swimming pools, events and sports centers, shows and restaurant terraces);

- Eliminate advertising and the presence of tobacco in audiovisual productions and social media, with a special focus on “under the radar” advertising through influencers and product placement;

- Fund research and development projects on diseases caused by smoking in order to improve their prognosis and make them curable.

A similar ambition expressed by the Commission

With 40% of cancer cases attributed to preventable causes and 25% of its population smoking daily, the European Union recommended in its new cancer plan, published on February 3, 2021, strengthening tobacco control policies to achieve a tobacco-free Europe by 2040 where less than 5% of the population will be smokers.

The measures in the new plan include:

- the introduction of neutral packaging for all member countries;

- a total ban on flavorings (the Commission has proposed banning aromas for heated tobacco on June 29, 2022);

- improving the evaluation of ingredients contained in cigarettes;

- the extension of taxation to new tobacco products and;

- the fight against advertising, promotion and sponsorship of tobacco on the Internet and social networks.

In this respect, the revision of the Tobacco Products Directive will be a crucial step for public health. The revision of the directive will notably aim to propose a regulatory framework for new tobacco and nicotine products, which have appeared on the market in large numbers since 2014.

Keywords: Tobacco-Free Generation, European Commission, European Union, 2030, tobacco control, environment

©Generation Without Tobacco

AE