The current health crisis should not make us forget the European Union's strategy on tobacco and vaping. In fact, the "European plan to fight cancer" is being drawn up; it could mainly target tobacco, in particular products such as e-cigarettes.
CHANGES FROM 2023?
A pan-European plan to fight cancer is one of the priorities of the Commission ofUrsula Von Der Leyen in public health, although the crisis linked to the new coronavirus has somewhat distracted attention in recent months. A provisional draft of the said program consulted by Euractiv confirms that the " European plan to fight cancer Will be based on four pillars - prevention, early diagnosis, treatment and follow-up care - as well as seven key initiatives and several support strategies.
The plan should be seen as " the political commitment of the EU which intends to do everything in its power to fight cancer ”, can we read in the draft document. To this end, the most ambitious promises have been listed under the pillar " a change. ". Among these is the desire to create a " generation without tobacco ”By 2040.
Given that 90% of lung cancer could be prevented by stopping smoking, the Commission aims to reduce the number of tobacco smokers to less than 5% over the next 20 years. According to the executive, this can be achieved by introducing a rigorous tobacco control framework and adapting it to new developments and market trends, such as e-cigarettes or CBD.
Still according to the provisional draft, it would appear that Brussels is planning to update the Council's recommendation on smoke-free places by 2023, in order to " cover new products, such as e-cigarettes and heated tobacco products ».
