According to the World Health Organization, tobacco consumption is worldwide the leading cause of avoidable deaths from cancer, respiratory, and cardiovascular diseases. Tobacco market in Italy from 2000 up to now, recorded a 27% reduction in consumption of manufactured tobacco cigarettes, and a 10% increase of Roll-Your-Own (RYO) cigarettes. Moreover, 2%-3% of Italians use electronic cigarettes, and there is an increase in consumption of new heated tobacco products (HTPs).  

In Italy, few tobacco control measures have been implemented after the 2005 smoking ban. Italy was among the first countries worldwide banning smoking in enclosed public places, reaching the eighth position in the ranking of European Countries based on the level of development of tobacco control policies, the so-called “Tobacco Control Scale”. Then, Italy fell to the 16th position in the Tobacco Control Scale, and recently, in 2016, Italy moved up to the 13th position, thanks to the introduction of the Directive 2014/40/EU. In Italy today tobacco fiscal policies, anti-smoking mass media campaigns and smoking cessation supports have not yet fully developed.

On the 4th of December ENSP organised an Expert Meeting of Italian stakeholders dedicated to tobacco control priorities in Italy.

The main goal of the event was to present the document titled "Experts Position to advance Tobacco Control policies in Italy". A group of Tobacco Experts met at European Parliament, in Brussels, hosted by MEP Nicola Caputo, to present, at the European level, their position on Tobacco Control in Italy.

The programme of the event:

Yesteday's ENSP event has aready received media coverage in Italy, and journalists emphasized the importance and urge of adopting tobacco control measures summarised in the Experts Position.

Since the launch of IQOS in 2014 and other similar heated tobacco products, researchers and civil society have been observing multiple worrying trends that result in undermining of the former tobacco control achievements (smoke-free bans, decreasing prevalence) and, most importantly, in denormalisation of smoking.  In spite of its claims of striving for Smoke-Free World, tobacco industry does not stop promoting conventional cigarettes and keeps coming up with new harmful products to enrol more and more consumers among young generations.

 

In this quickly evolving context, ENSP has decided to urgently set up an international cooperation group focused particularly on new tobacco products and their regulation. The initiative aims to create a bridge between Europe and Asia in order to share relevant research information and insights on industry's activities to promote heated tobacco products. 

 

As the first step in that direction, ENSP set up the Working Group and held its fist meeting at the European Parliament in Brussels, hosted by MEP Catalin Sorin Ivan). The event gathered international tobacco experts, public health advocates and policymakers. Researchers shared novel data from their countries on various topics providing a comprehensive overview of the market studies, technical aspects of device's functioning, health risks posed by heated tobacco, cases of industry bridging existing tobacco control legislation etc. Furthermore, all attendees were invited to participate in the discussion, while the last part of the meeting was dedicated to development of coordinated strategy and action plan to tackle the risks imposed by heated tobacco products in Europe and worldwide.

The programme of the event:

The next meeting of the ENSP Working Group on Heated Tobacco will take place in Vilnius, Lithuania in mid-Fenruary 2018.

For more information please contact ENSP Secretariat. 

7 November - European Parliament Brussels - ENSP-CNPT Conference 2018

TOWARDS BETTER HEALTH AND TOBACCO CONTROL PROGRESS IN SPAIN
Roundtable to present the "Madrid Declaration 2018"

 

On the 7th of November, European Network for Smoking and Tobacco Prevention (ENSP) and Comité Nacional para la Prevención del Tabaquismo (CNPT) held a Conference at the European Parliament in Brussels dedicated to the "Madrid Declaration - 2018".  The event was hosted by ALDE MEP María Pagazaurtundúa Ruiz and chaired by the President of ENSP, Francisco Rodriguez Lozano. 

During this meeting, successes and challenges of Spanish tobacco control were discussed, as well as the content of the "Madrid Declaration - 2018" (including urgent policy recommendations). Furthermore, representatives from health associations and civil society shared their perspective on the subject. 

The Conference was followed by a debate and a Press Conference with the representatives from multiple Spanish media (El País, ABC, La Razón, La Vanguardia, Cadena SER, Radio Nacional de España, Televisión Española, Agencia EFE BRU, and Agencia Europa Press BRU).

                                            The programme of the event: