The EU commission is pushing to ban smoking in outdoor public spaces
Credit: Shuttersock
The European Commission is pushing to extend smoking bans to outdoor areas like bar terraces, playgrounds, and bus stops.
The aim is to protect non-smokers from second-hand smoke and tackle emerging nicotine products such as vapes.
The European Commission calls for the extension of smoking bans to outdoor areas
The European Commission has called on the 27 EU member states to extend smoking bans to outdoor areas like bar terraces, bus stops, and playgrounds, where non-smokers face exposure.
The recommendations, made as part of the European Plan to Beat Cancer, aim to reduce tobacco use across the EU.
Current EU statistics show that 26 per cent of the population smokes, with the figure rising to 29 per cent among those aged 15-24.
Smoking laws and figures vary across the 27 EU member states
Throughout Europe, the figures vary drastically, being as low as 8% in Sweden and as high as 37% in Bulgaria. In Spain, 23 per cent of people aged 15 and older smoke.
Countries across Europe vary in their smoking laws, too. While some, like France and the Netherlands, have taken significant steps with high tobacco taxes, neutral packaging, and bans in public spaces, others like Lithuania only restrict smoking in designated areas.
France plans to extend its ban to parks, beaches, and areas near schools by 2025, while the Netherlands enforces a €11.10 price per cigarette pack and bans smoking in educational facilities.
Sweden, with one of the strictest anti-smoking regulations, fully banned smoking on bar terraces in 2018, however, concerns remain about the rise of e-cigarettes and tobacco alternatives like snus among young people.
Stella Kyriakides, the outgoing EU Health Commissioner, reiterated the goal, saying, “Tobacco use, nicotine addiction, and tobacco-induced illness should have no place in Europe’s future.”
Brussels intends to have a tobacco-free generation by 2040
Every year, 700,000 people in the EU die from tobacco-related causes, including second-hand smoke, prompting the Commission to urge action.
Though the measures are non-binding, they reflect Brussels’ ambition to create a “Tobacco-Free Generation” by 2040, with less than 5 per cent of the population using tobacco.
The Commission also seeks to regulate emerging products like heated tobacco and electronic cigarettes, including nicotine-free versions.
The goal is to address the rising use of vaping among young people, as second-hand aerosols from e-cigarettes can still harm bystanders.
A leaked document from the Commission highlights concerns over the health risks posed by these new products.
In Spain, the Ministry of Health has already initiated steps through the 2024-2027 plan, although specific bans on outdoor smoking areas, like bar terraces, are still under discussion.
The Commission’s proposal supports further regulation in these areas and suggests increasing cigarette prices and stricter rules for vaping products.
While the recommendations are not legally binding, they encourage member states to take more decisive action.
European Commission pushes to ban smoking in public spaces including bus stops and zoos
Public spaces such as bus stops, swimming pools, and zoos are among the areas identified for potential bans.
The Commission’s efforts are part of a broader strategy to cut tobacco use by 30% by 2025, ultimately achieving a “tobacco-free” Europe by 2040.
Despite support from health advocates, including Lilia Olefir of the Smoke Free Partnership, who emphasises the need to “protect people from second-hand smoke,” the hospitality industry is cautious.
In the UK, potential bans on outdoor smoking have been met with criticism, with fears of economic harm.
Kate Nicholls, Chief Executive of UKHospitality, warned that such bans could lead to closures similar to those seen after indoor smoking was banned.
While anti-tobacco legislation continues to progress in Europe, experts like Eva Kralikova argue for stronger measures, such as higher tobacco prices and plain packaging, to further reduce smoking rates across the continent.
The Commission’s latest recommendations aim to curb both traditional smoking and the rise of alternative tobacco products.
