After studying the report of the research group of the World Health Organization (WHO), the EU Council plans to ban filter cigarettes, Bild reports. This will affect 95% of the products on the market.
The main argument of supporters of the ban on filter cigarettes is environmental harm, as cigarette butts pollute nature. Opponents of this approach emphasize that without filters in cigarettes, smokers will inhale more tar and toxins, writes Euronews.
The ban on filters will also reduce the appeal of cigarettes, experts from the WHO believe. The EU Council agrees: the ban on the production, import, distribution, and sale of filter cigarettes is "an important contribution to reducing tobacco consumption." A ban on electronic cigarettes and the sale of tobacco products in stores, gas stations, and kiosks is also being considered.
"According to the document, it is also planned to significantly reduce the number of points of sale for cigarettes. Advertising and so-called 'purchase incentives' for filter cigarettes should also be banned. Additionally, it is planned to prohibit profiting from the sale of tobacco products," the material states.
A ban on the sale of tobacco products to all individuals born after a certain year is also being discussed.
So far, such a ban has only been implemented in New Zealand, but it was later revoked. The reason is that the decision led to the emergence of a black market.
It is still unclear how EU member states will respond to these plans. A meeting of the EU Council working group will take place on Thursday, where representatives from all member states will be able to express their position, the authors write. A final decision on this matter is expected at the WHO conference in Geneva from November 17 to 22.
As of January 1, 2025, bans for users of electronic cigarettes, vapes, and nicotine pouches will come into effect. Tobacco products and their substitutes cannot be sold to people under 20 years old. The sale of vapes with various flavors and scents is prohibited.
