Smoke Free Partnership

Read here the press release on FCTC disruptions: shorturl.at/tv83X

➡️ These disruptions include the lingering effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, climate change, wars, and political conflict.

➡️ Tobacco industry's influence over governments and policymakers is also compromising the implementation of the treaty, particularly Article 5.3.

📔 A released parallel report on SDG 3 Target 3.a, led by ASH Canada and endorsed by the Smoke Free Partnership together with other 56 civil society organizations worldwide, reveals that the implementation of the FCTC has been compromised by several global disruptions. #PublicHealth #TobaccoControl

💪On this 2025 World No Tobacco Day, the call to action is clear: we must stand united to protect the next generation and secure a healthier, tobacco-free future.

#WNTD2025 #TobaccoControl #PublicHealth

🗣️Also attending the event, Mr Vincent Karremans, Minister for Youth, Prevention and Sport of the Netherlands, emphasised the critical need to protect young people from aggressive marketing tactics designed to foster early addiction.

🏆 The event served as an opportunity to honour the recipients of the prestigious 2025 World No Tobacco Day Awards from the WHO European Region.

Among the awardees, Mr Frank Vandenbroucke, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Social Affairs and Public Health of Belgium.

🚭Ahead of #WNTD2025, @whoeurope.bsky.social, SFP, European Respiratory Society, the Asociación Española Contra el Cáncer and The European Network for Smoking and Tobacco Prevention, hosted a high-level workshop in Brussels to raise awareness of the tobacco industry's manipulative tactics. #WNTD2025

❌ It is clear that the current legislation is no longer effective in reducing smoking prevalence nor it is adequate to address emerging market developments.

We urge the @ec.europa.eu to take decisive action on the matter NOW❗

📊
• Nearly one in four Europeans (24%) currently smokes.
• One in five young Europeans (22%) aged 15-24 have smoked as of 2023.
• Consumption of e-cigarettes and heated tobacco products (HTPs) both reached an all-time high rate of 6% and 2% among the 15-24 age group in 2023.

📢 As SFP's first publication in the lead-up to #WorldNoTobaccoDay, we are highlighting the need for a revised Tobacco Products Directive (TPD) to curb tobacco use and tackle the rising popularity of new products, especially among youth. 🚭

Youth smoking in the EU rose from 20% in 2020 to 22% in 2023 and 34.5% of 15–16-year-olds in all ESPAD countries used e-cigarettes in 2024.

It’s time to #UnmaskTheAppeal! Let's push for stronger EU tobacco legislation! 💪

#TobaccoControlEU #WNTD2025 #SFP

➡️Tobacco Products Directive
➡️Tobacco Tax Directive
➡️Tobacco Industry Interference
➡️Beyond the Council Recommendation on Smoke and Aerosol-Free Environments
➡️Tobacco Industry Harm Reduction Narrative
➡️Tobacco Advertising

🚭 SFP’s #SmokeFreeCountdown to #WorldNoTobaccoDay starts on Monday!

In the lead-up to WNTD, we’ll highlight 6 critical issues in EU tobacco control policy.

In the ENVI Committee, Commissioner Olivér Várhelyi asserted: “we should not only talk about traditional smoking, we should also talk about vaping.” He also stressed the need to go beyond the current Council Recommendation [on smoke-free environments]

➡️Raed Arafat (Romanian Secretary of State) put the focus on the lack of ambition to tackle serious health issues, such as those caused by tobacco consumption, and voiced concerns over the new products that appeal to our youth.

🚭On tobacco control:

➡️Lorena Boix-Alonso (Deputy Director General for Health at DG SANTE) said that prevention in health is key and indicated that the European Commission will be reviewing tobacco legislation.

📢 This week, SFP is happy to share the good news coming from the European Public Health Week Launch Event, “Innovation for Resilience: Shaping a Sustainable Future”, organised by @eupha.bsky.social.

#GoodNewsFriday #TobaccoControl #PublicHealth

"Lower tax rates on HTPs function as an industry subsidy rather than contributing to public health goals."

Tobacco companies use various strategies to protect their profits from increases in cigarette taxation.

Our new study on taxation in Ukraine has found that similar tactics are used to ensure maximum profit from e-cigarettes and heated tobacco products.

tobaccocontrol.bmj.com/content/earl...

The importance of operating grants for civil society organisations in the field of health - EU4health

➡️ Delays in publishing the EU4Health 2025 work programme directly threaten the implementation of public health policies and put the stability and function of civil society actors in danger.

@tillymetz.bsky.social @stinebosse.bsky.social

Read the letter here: tinyurl.com/33cktjhp

📣 Leaders of the SANT Committee and key MEPs stand in solidarity with European public health NGOs by supporting #EUHealthCSA Open Letter to the @ec.europa.eu:"The importance of operating grants for civil society organisations in the field of health”. 🩺🏥
#PublicHealth #CivilSociety #EU

📢 #GoodNewsFriday from the European Parliament! In yesterday’s plenary debate on non-communicable diseases and measles, MEPs @tillymetz.bsky.social and @christopheclergeau.bsky.social addressed the need for bolder action on tobacco control policy🚭.

#PublicHealth #TobaccoControl #EU

📢 This week's Good News for #TobaccoControl in Europe!

➡️ Greece considering ban on flavoured e-cigarettes

➡️ Estonia prohibiting the sale of heated tobacco products with different flavours in accordance with EU legislation

#PublicHealth #TobaccoControl

📢 Wrapping up the week with #GoodNewsFriday!

🚫 Slovenia bans flavoured e-cigarettes as of April 24

✅ Ukraine joins EU Ministers of Health push to revise EU tobacco legislation

#PublicHealth #TobaccoControl

📣 SFP joins forces with relevant EU voices in public and respiratory health to encourage Olivér Várhelyi - @ec.europa.eu to respond to the call of 12 EU Member States asking for an urgent revision of the TPD, TAD and TTD.

🔗 To read the letter: shorturl.at/Q0VUm
#PublicHealth #EU #Tobaccocontrol

📣 SFP signs a joint open letter addressed to @vonderleyen.ec.europa.eu - @ec.europa.eu, urging them to adopt a 2025 Workplan for EU4Health and guarantee full-year operational funding for civil society under the Framework Agreements.

🔗 To read more: l1nq.com/sOfpj
#EU4HealthCSA #PublicHealth #EU

📊 We have summarised the key provisions in an 𝗶𝗻𝗳𝗼𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗽𝗵𝗶𝗰 (EN, and other languages). Check it out here: www.smokefreepartnership.eu/our-policy-w...

A healthier, smoke-free future is possible! 🌍 #TobaccoFreeEurope

🚭 M𝗮𝗷𝗼𝗿 𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗽 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗽𝘂𝗯𝗹𝗶𝗰 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗹𝘁𝗵!

The 𝗘𝗨 𝗖𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗰𝗶𝗹 𝗮𝗱𝗼𝗽𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗶𝘁𝘀 𝗦𝗺𝗼𝗸𝗲 & 𝗔𝗲𝗿𝗼𝘀𝗼𝗹-𝗙𝗿𝗲𝗲 𝗘𝗻𝘃𝗶𝗿𝗼𝗻𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝗥𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻, ensuring more protections from 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼𝗯𝗮𝗰𝗰𝗼, 𝗲-𝗰𝗶𝗴𝘀 & 𝘁𝗼𝗯𝗮𝗰𝗰𝗼 𝘀𝘂𝗿𝗿𝗼𝗴𝗮𝘁𝗲𝘀.

🏞️ New smoke-free zones include:
✔️ Playgrounds, amusement parks, hospitals
✔️ Beaches, restaurants, transport hubs

Let's wrap up this week's good news with #GoodNewsFriday 🎉

🇮🇱 is set to ban non-tobacco flavoured vapes;

🇳🇱 explores raising the smoking age to 21;

🇵🇱 moves to ban flavoured heated tobacco & add health warnings!

🎉 This week, we celebrate 20 years of the WHO FCTC, a life-saving treaty that has protected millions! 🌍🚭

But the fight isn’t over. A tobacco-free future needs stronger policies, stricter enforcement & real commitment.

Let’s keep pushing for change! 💪

#FCTC20Years #WeAre20

EU Commission inaction re tobacco industry interference CEO has written to EU Commissioner Šefčovič to emphasize the critical importance of effectively implementing Article 5.3 of the UN tobacco treaty (FCTC) to protect EU decision-making against tobacco i...

Jointly with Smoke-Free Partnership we've written to EU Commissioner Šefčovič about the timeline of reforms to fully implement Article 5.3 of the UN tobacco treaty 🚭

These reforms are needed to protect decision-making against #tobacco industry interference 🚨

www.corporateeurope.org/en/2025/02/e...