The Commission is taking an initiative to ban smoking in outdoor spaces in the member states of the European Union to protect citizens from the effects of passive smoking.
The new initiative recommends that Member States extend smoke-free policies to key outdoor spaces to better protect citizens in the EU, especially children and young people.
These areas include outdoor recreation areas where children are likely to congregate, such as public playgrounds, amusement parks and swimming pools - outdoor areas associated with health care and education facilities - public buildings - service facilities - and transport stops and stations.
The initiative also recommends that member states extend policies for smoke-free environments to products such as heated tobacco products and e-cigarettes, which are becoming increasingly popular among young users.
It had previously been highlighted by the World Health Organization (WHO) the negative effects of exposure to passive emissions from these emerging products, including significant respiratory and cardiovascular problems.
The Commission is also encouraging Member States to share best practices and strengthen international cooperation to maximize the impact of measures taken across the EU. The Commission will provide support through a direct grant of €16 million from the EU4Health programme, while €80 million from the Horizon program has already been allocated to strengthening tobacco and nicotine control, as well as addiction prevention.
Recommendations to better protect people from exposure to secondhand smoke are addressed to Member States. However, since health policy is a competence of the Member States, they are invited to implement these recommendations through their own policies, as they see fit, that is, taking into account their national conditions and needs.
