EU declares war on public smoking

1 July 2009

The European Commission stepped up its efforts to restrict smoking in its 25 member states by adopting a Council Recommendation calling on all member states to legislate to outlaw smoking in enclosed public spaces by 2012.

EU health commissioner Androulla Vassiliou said: “It is my firm belief that each and every European merits full protection from tobacco smoke. There is a wave of support from the general public and we will work with member states to make this a reality.”

The European Commission is calling on EU member states to adopt laws to protect their citizens from exposure to cigarette smoke in enclosed public spaces, workplaces and on public transport. Ten EU countries currently have comprehensive anti-smoking laws, with the UK and Ireland having the most stringent rules. Bulgaria is set to follow suit in 2010.

A recent Eurobaramoter poll suggests that smoke-free policies have widespread support. Of those surveyed, 84 per cent supported smoke-free offices, 77 per cent smoke-free restaurants and 61 per cent smoke-free bars.

Tobacco remains the largest single cause of premature death and disease in Europe. According to independent estimates 79,000 people, including 19,000 non-smokers, died last year as a result of exposure to cigarette smoke at home or in the workplace.

Neil Rafferty, a spokesperson for Freedom Organisation for the Right to Enjoy Smoking Tobacco (Forest), told FM World that a ban would cost thousands of jobs. “If this goes ahead it will decimate the pub trade across Europe. Forty pubs a week are closing in England and it was the same in Ireland and Scotland. The effect will be particularly bad in Northern European countries where the climate doesn’t allow people to sit outside for large parts of the year.”

Rafferty also said that there was insufficient evidence to support such a policy. “These sorts of bans don’t work on reducing smoking rates. Also, the science on passive smoking has been exaggerated. This would be a completely disproportionate response to the dangers.”

Forest also said that it thought that a pan-European ban would be very difficult to enforce because of the diversity of views on smoking within the EU.