Presentation of a Tobacco-Free Generation program for Luxembourg

The Luxembourg Cancer Foundation is launching its Tobacco-Free Generation strategy to achieve fewer than 5,100 smokers in Luxembourg by 2040. Six areas of action are proposed, the main one being to significantly increase the price of tobacco.

At a press conference on 8 March, the director of the Fondation Cancer Luxembourg, Lucienne Thommes, presented the Tobacco-Free Generation strategy proposed for the Grand Duchy. Supported by 36 stakeholders in health, education, sport and youth, this programme includes six areas of action in order to achieve fewer than 5,% smokers in Luxembourg by 2040.[1]The prevalence of smoking, which remained around 21 % throughout the 2010s, suddenly soared to reach 27 % in 2019 and 28 % in 2021.

Focus on increases in taxes on tobacco and nicotine products

The six suggested axes of measurement break down as follows:

• Significantly and annually increase the price of tobacco and its associated products. Since increasing the price of tobacco is recognized as the best lever to prevent young people from starting smoking and to encourage smokers to quit smoking, annual increases of approximately 10 % in excise duties are recommended for the coming years. Harmonization of taxes between the different tobacco and nicotine products is also desired.
• Prevent young people from starting to smoke and carry out regular prevention campaigns. Beyond awareness campaigns aimed at young people, compliance with the ban on smoking and the sale of tobacco to minors deserves to be better observed.
• Prohibit all forms of advertising and misappropriation of advertising. The introduction of plain packaging is recommended for all tobacco and nicotine products. A ban on cigarette and other tobacco product packs and a ban on other advertising at points of sale and on social media are recommended to complement the general ban on advertising. A ban on sponsorship and patronage is not envisaged until 2030.
• Reduce the availability of tobacco products. The removal of vending machines, which represent about 65,000 cigarette sales outlets, is requested and is reportedly supported by 80,000 of the population. The introduction of a license for the sale of tobacco products would reduce the number of sales outlets.
• Effectively protect the population from passive smoking. The ban on smoking in enclosed spaces, which is only applied in cafés and restaurants, would benefit from being extended to all workplaces. The extension of smoke-free outdoor spaces is encouraged, with a "commune anti-tobacco" label being awarded by the Cancer Foundation. In private vehicles, the ban on smoking in the presence of a minor could be supplemented by a ban on not smoking in the presence of a non-smoker. The ban on smoking in condominiums and on café terraces is not envisaged until 2030.
• Promote smoking cessation and set up an effective smoking cessation support pathway. Encouraging smokers to quit smoking should be supported by better support in the care pathway and by the reimbursement of nicotine replacement treatments. The idea of a No Tobacco Month in Luxembourg could be implemented.

Luxembourg still very dependent on tobacco revenues

The Tobacco Free Generation program currently only expresses the wishes of civil society and health authorities, but has not yet been integrated into government policy. While the Health Directorate has spoken out in favor of the project, Finance Minister Yuriko Backes is more attentive to the tax revenue generated by tobacco sales. "It is no secret that excise taxes constitute significant revenues, it is a historical reality", Ms Backes said in November 2022, tobacco taxes constituting 5 % of Luxembourg public revenues[2]. Lucienne Thommes considers on this point that the balance between what excise duties bring in and the cost of medical care alone deserves to be better informed, following the work carried out in France by Pierre Kopp.[3].

In the 2021 edition of the Tobacco Control Scale, which assesses the progress of anti-smoking measures in 37 European countries, Luxembourg showed relative progress, moving from 34^th at 28^th place. However, this report highlights the clear shortcomings of this country, which remains one of the lowest ranked in Western Europe in terms of sales prices (€5.50 for a packet of Marlboro in 2022, compared to €15.40 in Ireland), particularly in relation to the standard of living of Luxembourgers. Luxembourg is also accused of maintaining low taxation on tobacco products to attract cross-border purchases.[4].

Keywords: Luxembourg, Cancer Foundation, taxation, cross-border shopping, tobacco-free generation

M.F.

[1] Cancer Foundation, Strategy for a Tobacco-Free Generation in Luxembourg in 2040, Growing up smoke-free!, 2023, 13 p.

[2] Mittelberger P, Raising the price of tobacco, measure no. 1 to protect young people, Comma, published March 8, 2023, accessed March 10, 2023.

[3] Kopp P, The social cost of drugs in France, OFDT, December 2015, 75 p.

[4] The Tobacco Control Scale 2021 in Europe, 2022, 36 p.