SMOKE FREE PARTNERSHIP UPDATES

Smoke Free Partnership (SFP) fully supports the adoption of strengthened Council Recommendation on smoke- and aerosol-free environments during the EPSCO meeting on the 3rd of December 2024. The evidence is irrefutable, public support is unwavering, and the time to act is now.

Brussels, 3 December 2024 – Smoke Free Partnership warmly congratulates the new European Commissioner for Health, Olivér Várhelyi. Additionally, we commend the Council of the European Union and the Hungarian Presidency for their leadership in adopting the evidence-based Recommendation on smoke- and aerosol-free protection. This forward-thinking initiative will help prevent one in four cancers caused by tobacco use and reduce the burden of cardiovascular diseases

In an interview given to Le Parisien, on October 29, Health Minister Geneviève Darrieussecq announced the upcoming ban on nicotine pouches, which are very popular among young people. Similar products such as nicotine pearls will also be affected by the ban. The minister stated that these are dangerous and toxic products because they contain high doses of nicotine.

Health, waste and enforcement organisations welcome the Government’s decision to proceed with a ban on the sale of disposable vapes from the 1^st June next year. Action on Smoking and Health (ASH), Material Focus and Chartered Trading Standards Institute have worked collaboratively to raise concerns about the impact of these single-use products on the environment and their links to the increase in teen vaping.

Join us to explore pro-health taxes on alcohol, tobacco, and unhealthy food and drinks, and learn how to advocate for these measures, which offer a win-win for health and the economy.

Date & Place: 4-6 June 2025, Sofia, Bulgaria

Don’t miss it! Apply by 18 October 2024!

The Task Force on Fiscal Policy for Health - convened in 2018 to assess the role of fiscal policies to address the large and growing burden of noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) - published its 2024 Report titled 'Health Taxes: A Compelling Policy for the Crises of Today'. 

BRUSSELS, BELGIUM, 17/09/2024 – The long-awaited Commission’s proposal for a Council Recommendation on Smoke- and Aerosol-Free Environments has finally been released. Although non-binding, the Recommendation offers crucial support to those EU countries with weaker laws and low levels of compliance, such as Germany, Croatia, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Slovakia . Indeed, the 2023 Eurobarometer reveals significant disparities among EU countries regarding outdoor smoke-free policies. Residents of Greece, Bulgaria, and Cyprus are far more likely to be exposed to second- and third-hand smoke compared to those living in Hungary, Finland, and Latvia. 

In today’s King’s Speech the Government announced that reintroduction of the Tobacco and Vapes Bill was an early priority for the Government in the forthcoming session. 

The newly released Eurobarometer on Attitudes of Europeans Towards Tobacco and Related Products1 paints a concerning picture, to say the least. Nearly one in four Europeans (24%) currently smoke, reflecting only a 1 percentage point decrease from 2020. Meanwhile, e-cigarette use is now up to 6% among the 15-24 age group. This proves that the complete lack of tobacco control measures at the EU level resulted in smoking prevalence dropping only 1 percentage point over 2020-2023. 

Within the framework of Human Rights Council resolution 51/21, the Special Rapporteur on the right to health has identified health equity as a strategic priority, ranging from the underlying determinants of health to the need to eliminate structural and systemic barriers in accessing health care services, goods, and facilities, particularly among persons living under vulnerable or marginalised circumstances. 

SFP responded to the Special Rapporteur on the right to health's call for input. 

The SFP is participating in the conference ‘Challenging Big Industry Narratives: Alcohol, Tobacco, Unhealthy Food and Drinks: Population Measures and Policies’ taking place on June 27-28, in Ljubljana, Slovenia. This conference is organised as part of the FILTERED project – From Siloes to Synergies to Prevent NCDs, co-funded by the European Union (Action Grant, EU4Health Programme).

BRUSSELS, BELGIUM, 31/05/2024 – World No Tobacco Day is celebrated each year on the 31st of May. With this year’s topic – protecting children from tobacco industry interference – the WHO wants to draw attention to the predatory marketing practices of tobacco companies to the detriment of the youth. 

This application outlines the planned activities of the SFP Coalition for 2024 and how these align with the goals of the EU4Health Programme. Specifically, SFP's objectives directly contribute to disease prevention, health promotion, and international health cooperation, as outlined in the EU4Health Programme. Additionally, the Commission's 2024 work programme emphasises the importance of initiatives like Europe's Beating Cancer Plan, which aims to reduce tobacco use by 5% and improve health outcomes across the EU. 

Washington, D.C. – Lilia Olefir, Director of the Smoke Free Partnership (SFP) based in Brussels, Belgium, will receive the 2024 Judy Wilkenfeld Award for International Tobacco Control Excellence for her leadership in the fight against tobacco use. The Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids will honor Ms. Olefir at its annual awards celebration on May 9 in Washington, D.C. 

From 23 to 29 April 2024 in Ottawa, Canada, the fourth session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee to develop an international legally binding instrument on plastic pollution. 

E-cigarettes are now used more than cigarettes among 15-year-olds in Europe, according to the latest WHO Europe report, “A focus on adolescent substance use in Europe, Central Asia and Canada”. Based on the 2021/2022 Health Behaviour in School-aged Children (HBSC) survey, the report examines substance use among 15-year-olds. 

On 6 March 2024, UK's Ministry of Finance and HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) launched a consultation to gather views on the proposals for a new UK wide duty on vaping products. The Consultation will end on 29 May 2024. 

On Tuesday, 16 April 2024, history was made. The UK Tobacco and Vapes Bill, a ground-breaking legislation that will raise the age of sale incrementally every year from 2027 onwards, was passed by 383 votes to 67. The greatest achievement of this Bill is the Age of Sale restriction: this will create a Smoke-free Generation: anyone born on or after 1 January 2009 will never be allowed to buy cigarettes legally. This represents a great victory for the collective good and the health of all Brits. 

BRUSSELS, BELGIUM, <<04/04/2024>> – The Smoke Free Partnership, a coalition of more than 55 NGOs working on tobacco control at the  European level, published its annual infographic on “Declared Tobacco industry presence in the EU policy-making environment”. The analysis aims to shed light on the human and economic resources the tobacco industry and its allies can count on to lobby the EU institutions. 

On 14 March, Belgian Minister of Health Frank Vandenbroucke attended the meeting of the Alliance for a Smoke Free Society. Here, he delivered what has been defined "The best speech of a Belgian Minister of Public Health on tobacco control over the last 50 years".