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New European Citizens' Initiative
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Call to achieve a tobacco-free environment and the first European tobacco-free generation by 2030
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On August 24, 2022, the Commission decided to register a new European Citizens' Initiative entitled
"Call to achieve a tobacco-free environment and the first European tobacco-free generation by 2030".
Initiated by the ENSP member, Nofumadores.org, and together with over 20 other ENSP collaborators, we call on the Commission to propose legislation to save new generations from falling into tobacco addiction, to act against related environmental dangers, and against smoking. More specifically, we ask the Commission to propose legal acts to end the sale of tobacco and nicotine products to citizens born from 2010 onwards.
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The measures proposed by the initiative:
- Promote the first tobacco-free European generation by 2028, ending the sale of tobacco and nicotine products to citizens born since 2010.
- Create a European Net of tobacco-free and butts-free beaches and riverbanks, making these spaces more healthy and environmentally sustainable.
- Establish a European Net of tobacco-free and butts-free National Parks making them more healthy and reducing contamination and risk of fires.
- Extend outdoor smoke and vapor-free spaces, especially those frequented by minors (parks, swimming pools, sports events and centers, shows, and restaurants terraces).
- Eliminate tobacco advertising and presence in audiovisual productions, and social media, especially addressing covert advertising through influencers and product placement.
- Finance R&D projects for diseases caused by tobacco use to improve their prognosis and make them curable.
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In order for the Commission to move forward with the recommendations proposed by this initiative, 1 million statements of support must be collected within 1 year, from at least 7 different Member States. The signing procedure will be announced soon.
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In response to her initiative, Raquel Fernandez Megina mentions that all support is welcomed in order to advance these courageous and effective tobacco control policies that Nofumadores proposes together with other ENSP members:
"It is clear that the most effective way to end smoking is to prevent new generations from becoming addicted to nicotine, and protect them
from falling into the clutches of the tobacco industry by controlling indirect advertising of tobacco, both in social networks and in the audiovisual productions that they consume, as well as progressively increasing the minimum age
for the legal purchase of tobacco. To achieve the tobacco- and nicotine-free world that we aspire to, we must achieve a high level of denormalization of use in public spaces. That is why we are asking to expand smoke and vapour-free outdoor areas, especially those
frequented by minors (parks, swimming pools, sporting events and centers, shows, and restaurant terraces). It is also essential to protect our planet. Every year thousands of hectares of our forests are burned by poorly extinguished cigarette butts, not to mention all the polluting waste these cigarette butts create in our forests, beaches, and seas. That's why we ask for a network of beaches and National Parks without tobacco smoke or cigarette butts."
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Representative of the initiative
Substitute
Members
- Loïc JOSSERAN
- Silvano GALLUS
- Krzysztof PRZEWOŹNIAK
- Sofia BELO RAVARA
- Mihaela LOVŠE
- Gergana Georgieva KURSHUMOVA-GESHANOVA
Others
- Mariella BORG BUONTEMPO
- Luke CLANCY
- Cornel RADU-LOGHIN
- Nijole GOSTAUTAITE MIDTTUN
- Gérard AUDUREAU
- Maria Sofia CATTARUZZA
- Suzanne MCCORMACK
- Joanna DIDKOWSKA
- Esteve FERNÁNDEZ
- Ramon REYES
- Francisco CABRERA PANASCO
- Paraskevi KATSAOUNOU
- Panagiotis BEHRAKIS
- Marius EREMIA
- Ramona BRAD
- Mladinska ZVEZA BREZ IZGOVORA SLOVENIJA
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Call for action
Letter to the Spanish Government to adopt stricter tobacco-control measures
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The Spanish government has announced the opening of 203 new tobacconists, whose licenses will be put up for public auction in October, focusing on border areas frequented by French citizens who cross the border to buy packs of cigarettes that cost half what they cost in France.
The increase in the number of tobacco outlets near the French border represents a ratio of 50 tobacconists per 10,000 inhabitants when in the rest of the country the percentage is four establishments per 10,000 inhabitants. The main purpose of this measure is not only to supply local inhabitants with a product that will take fifteen years off their lives but also to boycott France's tobacco control efforts, supplying cheap tobacco to a country that is striving to reduce the number of smokers through a WHO-recommended policy that works: increasing tobacco taxes.
The purchaser of the license must locate his establishment at least 150 meters from another establishment or school. With the exception of border territories that see this regulation limited to 25 meters, thus confirming the Spanish government's desire to concentrate supply in border areas and attract French consumers. In this way, some border municipalities will see their number of tobacconists more than double, such as La Jonquera (near the Pyrenees Orientals), which could see its number of tobacconists increase from 7 to 17 concessions.
The United Kingdom will also be affected by this policy of the Spanish government as 3 new tobacconists will also be opened near the Gibraltar border. |
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Therefore, ENSP is encouraging all member and partner organisations within the network to support this action and call upon the Spanish government to:
- halt the opening of these new 203 tobacconists, while reducing the number of tobacco outlets by not renewing tobacconists' licenses, which expire after 25 years, especially those establishments close to schools and playgrounds,
- increase the price of tobacco to be similar to the price in France and the UK
- and to implement as soon as possible the Comprehensive Smoking Plan 2021-2025, as well as the legislative modification of Law 28/2005 on the Prevention of Smoking.
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The letter must be signed BY AUGUST 31st. SIGN TODAY!
For any other questions, please contact
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New investigation on PMI tactics to mislead its consumers regarding nicotine level IQOS
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A recent investigation found that Philip Morris International is using misleading information about the nicotine levels advertised in their heated tobacco products. The Bureau of Investigative Journalism discovered how PMI claimed through their statements, various promotional materials, and other means of communication that the tobacco sticks used within their heated tobacco devices contain 0.5mg of nicotine, when in reality the actual numbers are higher. |
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The problem appears to stem from the lack of international standards for testing the contents of heated tobacco products, "
leaving a grey area for how this information is ascertained and presented to consumers". The research conducted by the Bureau revealed that the real amount of nicotine in a tobacco stick was 4.1mg instead of 0.5mg as stated by the company.
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Moreover, the most relevant entity responsible for regulating this matter is the International Organization for Standardization, which in addition to not publishing an international standard test for analysing chemicals in heated tobacco products, the committee in charge of providing the standardisation methodology is chaired by a former pro-tobacco lobbyist. |
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Other news and upcoming events
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The launch of the Innovative Global Investment Funds by WHO FCTC and the Protocol
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The Secretariat of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC) is looking for experts in investment management to serve on oversight committees supporting the work of two recently launched investment funds: the WHO FCTC Investment Fund and the Investment Fund for the Protocol to Eliminate Illicit Trade in Tobacco Products (Protocol).
Launched in November 2021, with the approval of the governing bodies of the WHO FCTC (the Conference of the Parties: COP) and the Protocol (the Meeting of the Parties: MOP), the innovative funds are designed to provide predictable, long-term funding for the implementation of the WHO FCTC and the Protocol.
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Drawing on interest-free loans to create an investment portfolio, the funds will be managed by the World Bank as the Fund Trustee. Over time, the earned interest will support the activities of the WHO FCTC and the Protocol, as directed by the COP and the MOP. |
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Two separate calls for an Expression of Interest have been published in order to select members of the Oversight Committee for both funds:
Potential candidates should have expertise in areas of global finance, governance and investment management to help guide the strategic and investment policies of the WHO FCTC and Protocol Funds.
The deadline for applications in 16 September.
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Fall 2022: Series of webinars
Tobacco Online Policy Seminar
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The goal of the Tobacco Online Policy Seminar (TOPS) is to provide a free multidisciplinary, international forum for research using experimental or quasi-experimental variation (i.e., a well-defined counterfactual) to study nicotine-tobacco policies, with a particular focus on emerging tobacco products and modified risk tobacco products.
This forum is designed to bring together academics, government scientists, students/trainees, funders, healthcare professionals, and advocates, with the goal of breaking silos in tobacco policy research and providing a platform for high-quality research to be discussed and disseminated.
Every two weeks, great speakers will travel with you through the above-mentioned topics, with the ultimate goal to facilitate the production and sharing of knowledge that can be used to develop an effective tobacco policy framework.
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22 September 2022: WHO Webinar on Non-Communicable Diseases
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NCDs pose a significant threat to the health of people worldwide and in the WHO European Region. It is well recognized that the prevention of NCDs is a multilayered, complex public health issue. Systems thinking is a comparatively novel but rapidly developing area of knowledge that can offer a number of approaches to support policymakers in tackling NCDs.
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However, it can be difficult to enter into and navigate systems thinking without guidance, and even more challenging to choose the right approach. To support the Member States and other stakeholders in the Region, NCD Office will be publishing the new guidance on moving systems thinking for NCD prevention policy into practice.
Join the panel on the 22nd of September 2022 at 14:00-15:30 CEST via Zoom for the Launch Event on Moving Systems Thinking for Noncommunicable Disease Prevention Policy into Practice. World-renowned researchers and experts in systems thinking will participate in the discussion, offering insights into how to tackle NCDs in real-world settings.
Simultaneous translation from English to Russian will be provided.
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Tremendous seizure of tobacco products and cigarette manufacturing equipment in Belgium
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Organised by Belgian Customs and implemented on the basis of close international cooperation and support from Europol, a recent joint effort prevented the circulation of tobacco products with a total tax value of more than EUR 32 million. Over 57 million cigarettes and more than 48 tons of cut tobacco have been seized through close cooperation between the local Belgian law enforcement, the Belgian Federal Police, the Polish Border Guard Control Service, as well as intelligence provided by the Lithuanian Criminal Police Bureau.
In addition to discovering a variety of clandestine production sites, as well as warehouses for storage of enormous quantities of tobacco products, authorities seized several vehicles and arrested several persons of Lithuanian, Polish, Ukrainian, and Jordanian nationality.
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The latest publications in the TPC Journal:
Shouq Al Dharman, Kawthar Safar, Fatima Al Enezi, Hessa Al Bahar, Alaa Ali, Zahra Al Qallaf, Athoub Al Shaya, Maryam Alenezi, Safiyah Al Otaibi, Maryam Al Nassar, Zainab Mohammad, Salman Alzayani
Yanhui Liao, Yunfen Wang, Jinsong Tang, Qiuxia Wu, Zhenzhen Wu, Ann McNeill
Sodam Chu, Jaehyung Kong |
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