In December 2024, the Council officially adopted its Recommendation on Smoke and Aerosol-Free Environments, marking a significant victory for public health across the EU. This initiative expands protections by covering heated tobacco products, e-cigarettes (both nicotine and nicotine-free), and tobacco surrogates, ensuring stronger safeguards for everyone.

Key highlights:

• Broader Scope: new and emerging tobacco products are included.
• Expanding Smoke & Aerosol-Free Zones: protection now extends to public playgrounds, amusement parks, healthcare & education premises, beaches, outdoor restaurant spaces, and transport hubs.
• Tobacco’s Toll: smoking remains a leading cause of preventable disease, affecting millions across the EU, this recommendation is a crucial step in tackling the issue.

We have created an infographic summarising these key provisions and statistics. Also available in multiple languages (CS, DE, EL, ES, HU, IT, MT, PL, PT). 

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