The European Commission Directorate General on Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs (DG Grow) has introduced a draft act amending the Act of 24 January 1977 on the ‘protection of consumer health in regard to foodstuffs and other products as regards the sale of tobacco products from automatic distribution machines’.
Reducing availability of tobacco products
The draft act is intended to reduce the availability of tobacco products. It will no longer be permitted to place tobacco, products based on tobacco or similar products on the market through automatic distribution machines, except at the payment counters of non-specialised retail shops.
Tobacco is the deadliest preventable source of disease
Tobacco is still the deadliest preventable source of disease, causing more than 7 million deaths every year. First- and second-hand smoke damages lungs and airways, causing and exacerbating symptoms of respiratory diseases such as asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
Simultaneous action to combat tobacco use
At EFA, we welcome the Commission’s draft act which is in line also with World Health Organisation (WHO) recommendations stating that simultaneous action on the attractiveness, availability and price of tobacco products is needed to combat their use.
More information on the European Commission draft act can be found here.