EU contradiction: No ban on filter cigarettes planned!

EU contradiction: No ban on filter cigarettes planned!

The discussion about tobacco control in the European Union is currently in focus as the EU Commission has denied a report on a possible ban on filter cigarettes. According to the Small newspaper A Commission spokesperson stated that “the European Commission has no plans to ban filter cigarettes.” This contradicts a previously published report that viewed such a ban as a measure to protect health and the environment.

The EU Commission, which is responsible for developing and proposing EU laws, emphasized that a proposed law requires the approval of the European Parliament and the EU states. However, there are internal considerations to significantly reduce tobacco consumption in Europe, particularly among young people, according to a second source. Loud Heidelberg24 The planned measures are diverse and include, among other things, a ban on cigarette filters and a drastic reduction in the number of points of sale for tobacco products.

WHO recommendations and EU objectives

At the background of these efforts is the advice of the World Health Organization (WHO), which draws attention to the urgent need to combat tobacco consumption. According to the WHO, there are 1.3 billion tobacco users worldwide and around eight million people die every year due to tobacco use. In fact, 18% of all deaths from noncommunicable diseases in the European Region are due to tobacco use, according to a WHO report. The report also highlights that tobacco use is a leading cause of death and disability, particularly from diseases such as cardiovascular disease and cancer.

The WHO has developed the MPOWER concept, which includes various measures to combat tobacco use, including protection against second-hand smoke, support for smoking cessation and enforcement of advertising restrictions. Although 81% of countries in the region have implemented tobacco control systems, there are still many challenges to overcome.

Future outlook and challenges

The EU Commission aims for smokers to make up less than five percent of the population by 2040. An important goal lies ahead: open questions about the new tobacco restrictions are to be discussed at the WHO Conference on Tobacco Control (COP11) in Geneva in November 2025. The EU Council has also signaled its support, and a comprehensive ban on e-cigarettes is also being discussed. However, it remains to be seen how the individual EU member states will react to these proposals and which measures will actually be implemented.

Dr. WHO's Gauden Galea reiterated that time is of the essence and more effective tobacco control measures are needed in the European Region. The region is currently at risk of reaching the highest tobacco consumption rate in the world by 2030 unless concrete steps are taken to significantly reduce tobacco consumption.