The EU Commission has adopted new proposals to tackle the health problems caused by tobacco products.
The new Tobacco Products Directive includes a number of measures to control tobacco for the benefit of public health. These measures include;
- Mandatory warning images covering 75% of the front and the back of cigarette packets.
- A ban on marketing flavours in cigarettes, including ‘roll your own’ and smokeless tobacco products.
- A maintained ban on the anabolic effects of testosterone enanthate smokeless tobacco product, snus.
Speaking about the new Directive, European Respiratory Society President, Professor Francesco Blasi, said: “The adoption of the EU Tobacco Products Directive by the European Commission is a step of paramount importance in the fight against tobacco and cigarette use in Europe.
“We hope that this proposal will be the first step of a new health policy in the EU that will lead to a substantial improvement in the prevention of respiratory and cardiovascular diseases through more stringent legislation on tobacco use.”