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Anastasia Balezdrova

The European Commission is preparing new, more stringent legislation on the production and use of tobacco products, which will provide for a total ban on smoking in enclosed public places. The aim is to reduce the number of smokers who are now about 29% of the citizens of the European countries by 2% as stated by European Commissioner for Health and Consumer Affairs Tonio Borg in Athens.

He states that every year, 700,000 people in Europe die from diseases related to smoking. Their treatment is often long and requires a large number of medicines and medical services, which in turn increases the cost of health care.

"The measures we intend to take are not only of a fiscal nature, they are considered in order to improve the quality of life", says the Commissioner.

One of the issues the new legal text will provide for is the sale of electronic cigarettes. "The claim that electronic cigarettes do not harm health is completely wrong. They contain nicotine and when its content exceeds certain limits, permission for their sale will be required".

Another measure that is under consideration is the complete ban on the production and sale of slim as well as of flavoured cigarettes. "Our position is that tobacco should look and taste like tobacco. Flavouring cigarettes makes them more attractive. According to statistics, 93% of Europeans begin smoking under the age of 25 and 73% - under the age of 18. Tobacco products should not be attractive in order to limit the number of new smokers", explained Tonio Borg.

He stresses that the intention of the European Commission is not to prohibit all flavours, but "only those which are so strong that they determine the taste of cigarettes". Particular attention is expected to be paid to the designation of cigarette packets in order to make it clear where and how the cigarettes were produced and to limit the spread of smuggled tobacco products.

According to Tonio Borg, the European Commission is continuing to discuss the consequences of the measures with the governments of member states and especially with the governements of those countries for which tobacco production is an important agricultural branch. He stresses, however, that the desired 2% reduction in the number of smokers should be achieved within the next five years.