Tobacco
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Attitudes towards tobacco policies in the EU
What is the public’s opinion towards tobacco control regulations in the EU?
Study finds rising illicit cigarette trade on social media
Social media and delivery services have become new outlets for organised crime activities when it comes to illicit cigarette trade, according to a new study that has raised eyebrows among EU policymakers.
Financial sector pledges to stop funding tobacco industry
A number of financial institutions have joined forces with public health leaders to fill in the “missing piece” of the puzzle and put an end to providing financing, insurance and investment to the tobacco industry. EURACTIV.com reports from Austria.
Commission remains ‘very cautious’ toward novel tobacco products, EU official says
The European Commission remains “cautious” toward novel tobacco products and has to continue collecting evidence on their impact on public health, according to a European Commission official. EURACTIV.com reports from Austria.
MEP: France is wrong to shun OLAF in tackling tobacco smuggling
France and other countries that need help tackling the rising illicit tobacco trade should ask for assistance from the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF), according to Czech MEP Tomáš Zdechovský.
OLAF: Up to France to request help on genuine cigarettes smuggled from Algeria
The European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF) stands ready to assist member states, such as France, in the fight against illicit tobacco trade with third countries, but it’s up to the national authorities to make a request, OLAF told EURACTIV.com. “OLAF will...
JTI boss: EU Scientific Advisory Mechanism could adjust tobacco directive to reality
The next European Commission should enhance its collaboration with the EU’s Scientific Advisory Mechanism (SAM), which would provide bias-free consultancy and eventually adjust the Tobacco Product Directive to the reality, JTI’s Ramunas Macius said in an interview with EURACTIV.com.
Freedom of marketing and brands remains vital in the 21st century
When consumers make decisions in the marketplace, they are voting with their wallets, writes Yaël Ossowski.
WHO and EU clash with tobacco industry over plain packaging effectiveness
The drive to impose plain packaging on tobacco products, in the hope of discouraging current and potential smokers, has pitted the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the EU against the tobacco industry.
The EU is no progressive free trader: It’s exporting chronic diseases to Latin America
If the EU truly wants to be the global progressive trading power, it needs to make sure its trade policy does not promote ill-health, and instead makes a real contribution to the SDGs, writes George Thurley.
Andriukaitis: E-cigarettes under thorough scrutiny, and not the way to stop smoking
Electronic cigarettes are currently known for being “less damaging” than traditional smoking but they still cause harm and people should not use them to cut smoking, EU health chief told EURACTIV.com.
Clearing the clouds: Reduced-risk and vaping regulation
Reduced-risk products (RRPs) have the potential to reduce the risk of harm associated with a particular activity or behavior, what about smoking?
Greek court says e-cigarettes do not differ from traditional smoking
A top Greek court has decided that electronic cigarettes should have the same legal restrictions as traditional smoking does when it comes to bans in public places and advertising.
WHO urged to end ‘ineffective’ tobacco plain packaging
The removal of brands from packaging is a "gross violation" of intellectual property rights and has failed to achieve its intended goals, the Property Rights Alliance argues in a letter to the World Health Organisation.
Campaigners tell Austria smoking ban is not ‘freedom of choice’ but a health right
Any visitor from Western Europe who enters a bar or a pizza place in Austria is undoubtedly surprised that smoking on the premises is still tolerated and actively practised.
Australia proves that EU tobacco plain packaging will fail
Plain packaging policy has been unsuccessful in reducing smoking rates and health-care costs in Australia and it will fail to do so in Europe too, writes Sinclair Davidson.
Commission opposes excise tax on e-cigarettes and novel tobacco products, for now
Due to limited data, the European Commission decided to not propose a harmonised approach for excise taxation of e-cigarettes and other novel tobacco products until further information about these products is available.
Commission urges Greece to implement smoking ban in public places
The number of smokers in Greece has decreased the last five years, however, the non-implementation of a smoking ban law in enclosed public places has irritated the population, which calls it “cultural degradation”.
In Focus: Sinclair Davidson on plain packaging
Professor Sinclair Davidson from RMIT University in Australia joins EURACTIV's Brian Maguire to talk about the plain packaging policy for tobacco products introduced in Australia five years ago.
COPD is on the European Commission’s agenda, EU health chief says
Diagnosis tools like spirometry should be promoted in order to monitor lung systems and prevent the spreading of illness like chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), the second cause of death worldwide, the EU's Health Commissioner Vytenis Andriukaitis told EURACTIV.com.
Andriukaitis lashes out at tobacco industry, says it uses ‘tricks’ to bypass legislation
EXCLUSIVE / The tobacco industry is already feeling the pressure from the implementation of EU anti-tobacco legislation and is exploring ways to bypass it and mislead EU consumers, Commissioner for Health and Food Safety Vytenis Andriukaitis told EURACTIV.com in an interview.
Commission backs French idea to ban on-screen smoking
The European Commission is supportive of an idea recently raised in France to ban smoking in films in order to make tobacco consumption less glamorous, an EU official told EURACTIV.com.
Patients’ leader: Reimbursed anti-smoking programmes are a way to kill COPD
Stricter rules on smoking, reimbursed anti-smoking programmes and smoke-free public places are among the ways to prevent chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) from being a public health crisis, says Mikaela Odemyr.