Could a ban on outdoor smoking work in Europe?

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Countries across the world, from Mexico to Russia and Japan, have completely banned smoking in outdoor places in an effort to halt tobacco-related deaths. But in Europe, experts suggest such a measure would not be effective.

Euractiv recently visited Tokyo, where excessively high smoking rates used to be a major public health danger. Often linked to hard work and masculinity, smoking in Japan reached record levels in the 1960s with almost half of the population being smokers – especially men.

Unlike Europe, Japan introduced stricter smoking restrictions, targeting first outdoor and then indoor places.

In Tokyo, it is prohibited to smoke a cigarette or use novel tobacco products on the street. There are specific designated areas to smoke and separate allocated spaces for non-combustible tobacco use.

Analysts who spoke to Euractiv in Tokyo explained that high population density and the Japanese mentality of respecting their fellow citizens explains why the new measure was quickly embraced.

“Japan has a solid awareness of not causing trouble to others, so in that sense, I think the first step in Japan was to make it impossible to smoke in public spaces outdoors. Indoor spaces are private, so I feel these areas were probably put on the back burner,” Professor Yoshika Sekine from Tokai University told Euractiv.

Many municipalities in the Tokyo region introduced a ban on smoking outdoor – breaking the law could bring a fine of up to €125.

Dr Sekine said he had visited Europe in 2022 and was surprised.

“Everyone was smoking on the street, and since I don’t smoke, I sometimes got second-hand smoke, and I thought for a moment that I didn’t like it. If more consideration is given to such concerns for others, smoking on the streets could be restricted to some extent,” Dr Sekine said.

Can Japan inspire EU in tackling smoking?

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Often linked to hard work and manhood, smoking in Japan reached record levels in the 1960s with almost half of the population being smokers, especially men.
Similarly to other parts of the world, smoking in Japan started to …

Europe: Unwillingness, poor enforcement to go strict

Contrary to Japan, Europe prioritised smoking bans in indoor places while only a few light measures have been taken for outdoor places in some member states.

The EU has vowed to create a tobacco-free generation in Europe, where less than 5% of the population smokes tobacco by 2040.

Asked by Euractiv whether a smoking ban outdoor could work in Europe, a European Commission spokesperson said such a measure is a member state competence.

Across EU capitals, the situation varies. Some local authorities have attempted to take a stricter approach, but enforcement was usually poor or was hampered by a lack of political will. A full smoking ban outdoors does not exist anywhere in Europe.

The most recent example is France, where in late November the Health Ministry presented a new plan providing smoking bans in certain public places such as beaches, parks, forests and school playgrounds. Some towns, such as Nice, have already issued prefectural decrees banning smoking on beaches.

“Smoke-free will henceforth be the norm,” said French Health Minister Aurélien Rousseau.

In Italy, local authorities have imposed a smoking ban on beaches but it has not been enforced. Italian Health Minister Orazio Schillaci tried to push for a bill banning smoking or vaping in bus stops and parks, but without success.

In Romania, there have been similar attempts but all failed to put a stricter framework in place.

The most recent was the “No tobacco near” bill initiated by independent lawmakers, which suggested banning smoking near public transport stations, parks, sports and education facilities, children’s playgrounds and inside vehicles if minors are present. The bill was rejected on 30 October by the Senate.

In countries like Albania or Kosovo, one can struggle to find anywhere where there is no smoking. In Bulgaria and Greece, Europe’s black sheep when it comes to prevalence of smoking, enforcement of smoking bans faces severe challenges.

In Greece, the situation has improved significantly in recent years when it comes to indoor smoking bans. But outdoor, there are almost zero restrictions.

In Bulgaria, many restrictions are in place, as well as numerous “exceptions”. Many restaurants build special indoor areas for smokers in winter, and health authorities ignore the fact that they are in violation of the general rules.

In almost all Bulgarian restaurants, bars and cafes, vaping and electronic cigarettes are allowed.

Analysts estimate that the issue of banning smoking outdoors cannot even be raised because it is very unpopular. Even in the medical community, there is no clear support for imposing such measures.

“I would support new restrictions against smoking, especially electronic cigarettes in closed public places,” pulmonologist Ivaylo Markov told Euractiv. According to him, smoking in indoor restaurants is harmful for children and people with respiratory problems.

However, he said there is “no need to ban smoking outside because it doesn’t bother anyone”.

According to Jindřich Vobořil, the Czech national coordinator for drug policies, bans on outdoor smoking are not the way forward.

“This is largely covered in the Czech law by the powers of local governments. That seems to me to be right,“ Vobořil told Euractiv. “Focusing only on bans always has its negative aspects, and it is a fallacy that we can regulate life to be like machines,” he added.

“At the moment, I think it is much more important to focus, in terms of the impact of smoking on public health and the impact on public budgets, on promoting less harmful alternatives to nicotine use. This is proving to be an absolutely crucial potential turning point in tobacco policies,” Vobořil said.

Novel tobacco products

Japan was the first country to switch to novel tobacco products – particularly heated tobacco – almost ten years ago – and they now represent over 35% of the total tobacco market, with a rising trend.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) and the EU oppose switching to novel tobacco products as an alternative to traditional smoking. They insist that “less harm” still means harm for people’s health.

Some health professionals claim that such products could be used by heavy smokers, given that no other cessation therapy has worked.

Others, like Dr Masakazu Yamakawa, insist that cigarettes’ risk of carcinogenicity cannot be compared to novel products.

“Heated tobacco products do not expose us to almost any harmful ingredients other than nicotine. Nicotine is also eliminated from the body very quickly and is said to have very low toxicity,” Dr Yamakawa told Euractiv in Tokyo.

But most health professionals remain sceptical, considering that the long-term effects of novel tobacco products are still unknown.

In addition, health stakeholders question the tobacco industry’s good faith in pushing for less harmful alternatives, recalling that in the past, their argument of “light cigarettes” being healthier proved to be false.

The European Commission spokesperson said the executive is currently running an overarching evaluation of the legislative framework for tobacco control (Tobacco Products Directive and the Tobacco Advertising Directive) and that this evaluation “also looks at e-cigarettes”.

“No further details can be provided on the timeline for the next steps at this stage,” the spokesperson concluded.

(Euractiv.com with Euractiv Network)

[Edited by Zoran Radosavljevic/Benjamin Fox]

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