From 25% to 5% smoking rate by 2040, says Kyriakides

Health and Food Safety Commissioner Stella Kyriakides, in a prelude to World No Tobacco Day on May 31, emphasized the Commission's ambitious objective of reducing smoking from 25% to a mere 5% of the population by 2040 in her written message.

"Tobacco use remains the largest avoidable health risk in the EU, contributing to numerous serious health issues. It remains the primary cause of preventable cancer, accounting for over a quarter of all cancer cases in the EU," emphasizes the Commissioner.

Ms. Kyriakides underscores that "we know with certainty that tobacco kills up to one in two users," emphasizing the objectives of the European Health Union through the European Union's Cancer Plan.

"Reducing tobacco consumption and creating a 'tobacco-free generation' are key priorities for us. Despite significant progress in combating smoking in recent years, the prevalence of smokers in the EU remains unacceptably high. We must intensify our efforts to fulfill our commitment of reducing tobacco consumption in the EU population from the current 25% to 5% by 2040," states the Commissioner.

In line with this, the Commission is presenting new recommendations to Member States this year to combat smoking. "These actions will enable us to further reduce the consumption of new tobacco products entering the market and address the impact of outdoor passive smoking".

"This is a crucial step in our commitment to better protect non-smokers, particularly vulnerable groups such as children, and it will also contribute to reducing smoking and the use of new tobacco products across the EU, especially among young people," the Commissioner continues.

World No Tobacco Day serves as a reminder that "we all have the power to take control of our health," and smoking cessation plays a significant role in this endeavor.

[This article was translated from its Greek original]