The fight against cigarettes is still a success. After Milan’s decision to extend the ban on smoking in the streets, the three anti-smoking points this time come from the European Union. With the aim of creating a “tobacco-free generation” by 2040, EU countries have extended protection against passive smoking, including play areas and outdoor areas of restaurants, such as dehors, in the possible bans.
The rules can also apply to e-cigarettes and heated tobacco products (HTP). Those that arrive are only recommendations, therefore they do not pose direct bans, but governments thus have guidelines to follow in order to adopt internal laws in each country. The new indications come after the tobacco industry has invested heavily over the last 15 years to differentiate its products, in order to circumvent the bans on classic cigarettes.
Public areas where smoking is prohibited
In Brussels, the Council bringing together health ministers adopted a recommendation to help “reduce exposure to passive smoking”, including that from e-cigarettes. The goal is to reach a tobacco-free generation in Europe by 2040, as set out in the European Plan to Fight Cancer. The recommendations, which cover smoke-free and tobacco aerosol-free environments, encourage European Union countries to broaden the scope of protection against exposure to second-hand smoke. The areas in which smoking should be completely banned include, for example, outdoor areas considered particularly sensitive, such as playgrounds and restaurant terraces.
E-cigarette bans
The new measures are not limited to cigarettes, but will also apply to new forms of tobacco and related products, such as e-cigarettes and heated tobacco products (HTPs). The recommendations come under the leadership of Hungary, which currently holds the presidency of the EU Council. “The fight against non-communicable diseases, such as cancer and cardiovascular diseases, is a priority for the Hungarian Presidency. Today’s recommendation will help prevent such diseases by reducing the likelihood of exposure to second-hand smoke and aerosols, particularly among children and young people”, commented Péter Takács, Hungarian State Secretary for Health.
The strategy of tobacco companies
The Council’s latest recommendations on smoke-free areas date back to 2009. As recalled by health ministers, since then the tobacco industry has been committed to developing a series of new products, which have met with widespread success, particularly among younger people. , like flavored vapes. Even for these alternative products, however, emissions can be passively inhaled by people around, exposing them to toxic substances, contaminants and other air pollutants.
“The recommendation adopted today extends the provisions of the 2009 recommendation to products that emit aerosols. To provide effective protection, EU countries will be encouraged to further limit the use of these products in certain public spaces, in public transport and in workplaces”, explained the Council. As written, those adopted on December 3 are recommendations and a directly applicable law. However, EU countries are invited to extend protection from passive smoking to a wider range of places than currently.
Milan adopts a ban on smoking in the streets
In Italy some local institutions have already moved in this direction. This is the case, for example, of the municipality of Milan, which recently decided to extend the smoking ban to the streets in 2025. Fines are foreseen for those who break the rule, although there are some exceptions. In the Lombardy city, as early as 2021, with a measure included in the Air Climate Plan, a ban on cigarette smoking was introduced in various places, such as public transport and taxi stops, in parks and sports areas. In three years, however, only 14 fines were imposed. This time the Milanese administration seems determined to have a greater impact. Starting from 2025 the rule will be extended to all public outdoor areas including streets.
The new Schillaci law which will eliminate smoking, even outdoors
The only exception will be “isolated places”, where you can smoke as long as you maintain a distance of at least 10 meters from other people. E-cigarettes are exempt from the ban. Fines range from 40 to 240 euros. However, an important issue to resolve is the outdoor areas of restaurants. Technically it is public land, but managed by private individuals. At the national level, the Minister of Health, Orazio Schillaci, began preparing an anti-smoking law in 2023 that extended the bans outdoors. In the meantime, the process has stalled. With the recommendations coming from Brussels, the measures launched in Milan could quickly extend to the rest of Italy, also including electronic cigarettes, with all due respect to those who smoke and those who vape.
