Calls to lower use of tobacco increase, as Commission registers new citizens’ initiative

 
After taking steps toward decreasing tobacco use in the EU as part of Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan, the Commission registered a new European Citizens’ Initiative (ECI) on the theme on Wednesday (24 August).

The ECI is named “Call to achieve a tobacco-free environment and the first European tobacco-free generation by 2030”, and the organisers behind it call for EU legislation to prevent young generations from beginning to use tobacco while limiting its environmental consequences.

Concrete calls consist of a wish to “end the sale of tobacco and nicotine products to citizens born in 2010 onwards”, the creation of a “European network of tobacco and cigarette butt-free national parks”, and to “eliminate tobacco advertising and its presence in audiovisual productions and social media.”

ECI’s were introduced in the Lisbon Treaty. When the Commission has registered an ECI, organisers must collect signatures from at least one million citizens from a minimum of seven EU member states to prompt action from the Commission. (...)