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Solidarity for Ukraine from the Network
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The ENSP is deeply concerned about the escalating conflict in Ukraine and the impact that this is having on civilians and their health in the affected regions. As a European organisation deeply anchored in the humanitarian law, we want to stress once again the right to live, the right to be protected from circumstances that can put general life and health at risk.
War and violence will never contribute to a safe ending of a crisis. We recognise the gravity of the situation and we pray for a peaceful resolution of this conflict. The ENSP Network expresses its full support to the members and colleagues in Ukraine, their families, and all people affected by this unbelievable tragedy.
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Celebrating the professional life of
Dr Mateusz Zatonski
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With great sadness we announce the death of a very determined actor in the field of tobacco control and public health, Mateusz Zatonski, and learning the terrible news left his colleagues and friends in the Network with a heavy heart. Author of dozens of scientific publications, and active public health stakeholder in Poland and in the EU, his achievements, input, and efforts concentrated in many different projects will remain alive and remembered in our day-to-day work at ENSP.
ENSP Board and Secretariat, colleagues from EUREST-PLUS Project, co-workers and many friends from around the world would like to thank Mateusz for his outstanding work! The tobacco control community sends their kind words, thoughts, and prayers to Mr. Zatonski's family and friends. May he rest in peace!
His family invites Mateusz’s colleagues to share their thoughts and memories of his vibrant academic and professional life and friendships on this memory board.
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"As president of the ENSP, but also in a personal capacity, I am writing about something I would prefer not to have to. The death of a young person, committed to the fight against smoking, such as Mateusz Zatonski, is always painful. Mateusz, whom I had known for a few years, was hope for public health in Europe and an encouragement for many of us, who knew about his work and research.
I would like to convey our deepest condolences, mine and that of the entire ENSP family, to his family and especially to his father, Professor Witold Zatonski, a reference for many of us and a key figure in tobacco control in Central and Eastern Europe. The pain of losing a son is particularly difficult to bear, but allow me to say that many of us, who had the opportunity to meet Mateusz, are with you in these sad moments.
Rest in peace."
- Francisco Rodriguez Lozano, ENSP President
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Children's voice supporting tobacco-free generation: Letter to the Belgian Ministry of Public Health
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Belgian Public Health Minister Frank Vandenbroucke received a letter from 8-year-old Judith. In this letter, she asks him to stop the sale of cigarettes and to increase the price of electronic cigarettes. That way, she continues, young people will be less tempted to start smoking.
By teaching kids a different norm about smoking, you make them more resilient to not start smoking later on, and as a result growing up tobacco-free becomes the norm for the new generation.
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Monitoring Tobacco Control Policies and their Implementation level across the EU
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In order to strengthen advocacy capacity at the EU MS level, ENSP concentrated its effort to empower policymakers, the civil society and all relevant stakeholders through toolkits, technical support and hands-on capacity building. Aside from organising national support visits, trainings, ad-hoc advocacy campaigns we focus on continuous monitoring of various policy fields relevant for tobacco regulation and on providing informational tools and sources to the Network. |
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To that end, ENSP annually produces fact sheets on "hot" topics in the field of tobacco regulation and country toolkits that reflect the state of tobacco control policies implementation in the EU Member States. In 2022 we aim to develop materials dedicated to the subjects of Tobacco Endgame Strategies and Smoke-free Environment around the EU, while Latvia, Hungary and Croatia will become target countries for creation of new series of toolkits.
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2021 Series: Tobacco Control Policies Implementation level in the Netherlands, Sweden and Austria
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In 2021, three national evaluation and action toolkits on FCTC implementation have been prepared for the Netherlands, Sweden and Austria, following the same concept used during previous years. |
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In the Netherlands, tobacco control policies are mainly implemented through the Dutch Tobacco Act (Tabaks- en Rookwarenwet), which was first adopted in 1988 with new measures to be applied from 1 January 2022. More detailed rules can be found in lower regulations that build upon the Tobacco Act: The Tobacco Decree (Tabaks- en Rookwarenbesluit) and Tobacco Regulation (Tabaks- en Rookwarenregeling). Whereas back in the day the scope of the Tobacco Act was very limited, the scope of the Act has been widened over the years. The Act now includes a range of rules and measures, e.g., rules about packaging (including plain packaging for cigarettes and RYO tobacco), sales restrictions (e.g., a minimum age restriction for tobacco sales), a broad ban on advertisement and sponsorship, and a number smoking bans (for instance in government buildings, bars and restaurants, workplaces and on all school premises). Several rules in the Tobacco Act, e.g., the smoking bans and the ban on advertisement and sponsorship, also apply to e-cigarettes and heated tobacco.
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Austria became a Party to the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control on December 14, 2005. Austria adopted first Federal Tobacco Act (BGBI No.431/1995) on 30 June 1995. In recent years, Austria has made progress on tobacco control. However, people continue to die and become sick needlessly, and the costs to society from tobacco use continue to mount. Austria can still do more to make the proven tobacco control tools work for its citizens’ wellbeing. |
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The Act on Tobacco and Similar Products (SFS 2018:2088)2 is the primary piece of tobacco control legislation in Sweden. The 2018 Act repealed the Tobacco Act (SFS 1993:581) and the Act on Electronic Cigarettes and Refill Containers (SFS 2017:425). Other laws impact tobacco advertising, promotion and sponsorship in addition to the Act on Tobacco and Similar Products. The regulation of new nicotine products, such as e-cigarettes and nicotine pouches (white snus), is not as strict as the regulation of traditional tobacco products. Nicotine pouches are marketed as” tobacco-free” and therefore currently exempted from all regulation. In recent years the tobacco industry has invested heavily in the marketing of these products to target children and youth, and as a result, the use of nicotine products among young people have increased drastically. |
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ENSP's support for the adoption of the Law on Tobacco Control in Bosnia and Herzegovina
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In a letter sent to the Prime Minister of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Mr. Fadil Novalic, ENSP congratulates him on the progress in passing comprehensive new tobacco control law. The Proposal of the Law was adopted by the House of Representatives on 26 May 2021 by the majority of votes and we encourage Delegates of the House of People to adopt this important regulation in the next session of the Parliament. ENSP suggested correctly classifying Heated tobacco products (HTPs), and considering them just as threatening to all citizens' health as other tobacco products. Moreover, ENSP called on FBiH to adopt comprehensive regulations which ensure a smoke-free environment in all enclosed public places and workplaces, including bars and restaurants, and on a general note, to adopt the Proposal of Law in its original form, avoiding any amendments which might weaken its measures and introduce partial solutions, therefore decreasing its effectiveness.
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UNEP, Secretariat of the WHO FCTC partner to combat microplastics in cigarettes within
"Clean Seas" campaign
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At the beginning of February, UNEP and the Secretariat of the WHO FCTC announced their partnership to raise awareness and drive action on the extensive environmental and human health impacts of microplastics in cigarette filters.
The partnership is facilitated through UNEP’s Clean Seas campaign – a global coalition comprised of 63 countries devoted to ending marine plastic pollution. It weds the Secretariat of the WHO FCTC’s experience on the health and public policy dimensions of tobacco products with UNEP’s research and advocacy on plastic pollution.
Through an extensive social media campaign, the partnership will aim to engage influencers, UNEP’s Goodwill Ambassadors and Young Champions of the Earth to raise awareness of the issues surrounding microplastics. It will also adopt a political advocacy angle, drawing upon the Secretariat of the WHO FCTC’s expertise. By highlighting a recent European Union directive requiring all tobacco products with plastic filters to be labelled clearly, the initiative will encourage citizens to advocate for similar changes globally.
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Clean Seas and the Secretariat of the WHO FCTC are committed to enabling meaningful change on microplastics by raising awareness and driving policy. This partnership signals an important first step towards resolving the critical health and environmental impacts of microplastics in cigarette filters.
“The Secretariat of the WHO FCTC is delighted to participate in the UNEP Clean Seas Campaign and is committed to help raise awareness about the issue of hidden plastics in cigarettes,” said Adriana Blanco Marquizo, Head of the Secretariat of the WHO FCTC. “I urge all of you to join this campaign. Let’s all do our part to ensure our seas and ocean – together with all their inhabitants – are protected for future generations.”
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Other resources from the campaign:
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14-18 March 2022
Workshop #7 on the Economics of Tobacco Control
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Every day between 14 and 18 March, from 13:30 CET, the WHO FCTC Secretariat organises a workshop focused on the economics of tobacco control, especially designed for policymakers, government officials from Ministries of Finance and Tax Authorities, and Customs and Health.
Tobacco taxation is a very effective and cost-effective policy tool, both from public health and a fiscal perspective. This workshop will provide an introduction to tobacco taxation, illicit trade in tobacco products, and tax simulation modelling. During the workshop, the policy challenges common to tobacco taxation will be explored.
This 5-day virtual event aims to support Parties to the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC), in particular countries eligible to receive official development assistance, to implement effective tax and price policies as part of a comprehensive tobacco control strategy. Topics to be covered will include: the evidence for implementing tax and price measures, economic concepts relevant to tobacco taxation such as demand for tobacco and price elasticity, tax pass-through and affordability, illicit tobacco trade in low- and middle-income countries, how tobacco taxation contributes to sustainable development and an introduction to tax modelling. |
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7-9 October 2022
4th European Lifestyle Medicine Congress
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After a very successful virtual European Lifestyle Medicine Congress in 2021, the 4th European Lifestyle Medicine Congress will be organised in Athens, Greece, between the 7th – 9th of October 2022 at the Crowne Plaza Hotel.
Following the tradition of the ancient Greeks, this year’s theme is to ‘Let Lifestyle Be Thy Medicine’. This congress will bring together delegates from all over the world and provide an opportunity to share expert knowledge, promote friendship and professional cooperation to tackle the big issues of today’s society and the role of lifestyle medicine within them. The meeting will include a multitude of sessions, such as interactive workshops with innovative topics and discussions between international lifestyle experts. Moreover, the congress offers an opportunity to present your work in a highly relevant group of medical experts making the congress an excellent chance to get in front of potential new peers. |
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The latest publications in the TPC Journal:
Lorien Abroms, Hagai Levine, Katelyn Romm, Christina Wysota, David Broniatowski, Yael Bar-Zeev, Carla Berg
Masauso M. Phiri, April D. Summers, Alissa C. Kress, Isabel Garcia de Quevedo, Ralph Caraballo, Evelyn Twentyman
Monica Racovita, Eleanor Wheeler, Suzanne Wait, Dani Bancroft, Rowan Eastabrook, Tit Albreht, Anne-Marie Baird, Jacek Jassem, Aoife E. McNamara, Silvia Novello, Cornel Radu-Loghin, Jan P. van Meerbeeck
Leonieke J. Breunis, Maud Versteylen, Márta K. Radó, Nazmi Dereci, Nienke W. Boderie, Marlou L. A. de Kroon, Jasper V. Been
Jeroen Bommelé, Bethany Hipple Walters, Saskia van Dorsselaer, Marc C. Willemsen |
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