EU proposes wider smoking bans, including outdoor areas

The European Commission has recommended extending smoking bans to outdoor areas such as cafe terraces, bus stops and zoos, whilst also targeting nicotine-free products, according to a draft proposal.

The non-binding guidelines would expand on 2009 recommendations aimed at reducing exposure to second-hand smoke in public spaces. The new proposal reflects growing concerns over health risks posed by newer tobacco products like e-cigarettes.

Key points of the draft include:

• Bans to cover “heated tobacco products and electronic cigarettes, whether containing nicotine or nicotine-free”
• Extension to outdoor and semi-outdoor areas of restaurants, bars and cafes
• Inclusion of public transport hubs, workplace exteriors, and recreational areas frequented by children
• Addressing “tobacco surrogates and any other smoke and/or aerosol emitting products”

The Commission cites evidence that aerosols from e-cigarettes, with or without nicotine, expose bystanders to “quantifiable levels of particulate matter and key toxicants”.

This move is part of the EU’s broader Beating Cancer Plan, which aims for a “tobacco-free generation” by 2040 and seeks to reduce tobacco use by 30% by 2025.

The proposal comes amid delays to related tobacco control initiatives and criticism over the Commission’s transparency regarding meetings with tobacco industry lobbyists.