To safeguard citizens from the harmful impacts of active and passive smoking, the European Union has implemented a range of regulations that foster a smoke-free environment.
(Michalina Szpyrka | euractiv.pl)
A smoke-free future: How the EU is protecting citizens’ health
We all know that smoking is bad for your health, but did you know that even if you don’t smoke, you could still be at risk? Secondhand smoke—breathing in cigarette smoke from people around you—can cause serious health problems.
In fact, every year, around 700,000 people in the EU die from smoking-related diseases, and thousands of those deaths come from secondhand smoke exposure.
Secondhand smoke increases the risk of lung disease, heart problems, and even cancer. It’s especially dangerous for children, affecting their lung development and increasing the risk of illnesses like asthma.
What do Europeans think about smoking bans?
To tackle the dangers of smoking and secondhand smoke, the EU asked its citizens what they thought about banning smoking in public places. The results were clear:
- 84% of people supported banning smoking in offices and indoor workplaces.
- 79% wanted smoke-free restaurants.
- 61% supported smoking bans in bars and pubs.
This shows that people care about protecting their health and want smoke-free environments.
What is the EU doing about it?
To tackle these issues, the EU Council introduced a recommendation in 2009 encouraging all member states to create smoke-free public spaces. The goal? To protect people from secondhand smoke and make the environment healthier for everyone.
The key actions included:
- Banning smoking in indoor public places like offices, restaurants, bars, and public transport.
- Supporting smokers who want to quit with better resources and programs.
- Introducing graphic warnings on cigarette packs to discourage smoking, especially among young people.
- Creating a network of experts across EU countries to share best practices in tobacco control.
The benefits: healthier people, stronger Economy
By 2013, 17 EU countries had introduced strong anti-smoking laws, banning smoking in most public places. Countries like Ireland, Greece, Spain, Hungary, and Malta were among the strictest, ensuring that people could enjoy smoke-free environments.
Even in countries with less strict rules, the number of people exposed to secondhand smoke dropped significantly. For example:
- In bars and pubs, secondhand smoke exposure fell from 46% to 28%.
- In restaurants, it dropped from 31% to 14%.
Banning smoking in public spaces didn’t just help people breathe easier—it also led to fewer heart attacks and lung diseases. Within just a few years, the number of deaths linked to secondhand smoke started to decline.
And what about businesses? Many feared that banning smoking would hurt restaurants and bars, but studies showed that the economic impact was minimal. In fact, many businesses benefited from cleaner, healthier environments that attracted more customers.
The future of a smoke-free EU
The EU’s efforts to reduce smoking and secondhand smoke exposure continue to evolve. New policies focus on preventing young people from picking up smoking, supporting smokers in quitting, and making sure that everyone can enjoy clean, smoke-free public spaces.
The results so far have been promising, and with continued effort, the EU is on track to create a healthier, smoke-free future for all its citizens. What do you think? Should smoking bans be even stricter?
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