Passive smoking kills some 80 000 people a year in the EU. But lighting up in public places may become a thing of the past.
Photo by akegIn a bid to protect people's health, the EU has published a policy paper to drive forward the debate on smoking in public places. A recent survey suggests that this move will be welcome: the vast majority of respondents are in favour of a ban on smoking not only in the workplace but also in bars and restaurants.
All over Europe smokers are feeling the pinch. Ireland set the tone in 2004, with a ban in enclosed public places. Since then the idea has taken off in other EU countries, for example Sweden, Italy, Malta, Spain and Belgium who all enforce various levels of restrictions.
The policy paper puts forward five options: no change, self-regulation, guidelines, EU recommendations and new laws. It concludes that a comprehensive smoke-free policy would bring the greatest health benefit to the population. “The evidence from European countries with comprehensive smoke-free policies is that they work, produce results and are popular” says health commissioner Markos Kyprianou.
The other EU institutions and European countries have until 1 May 2007 to have their say - the commission will then consider the next step.
More press releases of EU are published in europa.eu.
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2 comments:
Passive smoking kills some 80,000 people a year in the EU. But lighting up in public places may become a thing of the past.
Unfortunately you have left off the relevant word which is estimated, which of course means guessed.
This statement is very much the same as vitamins can kill you.
I don't want to be awkward but could you please give me three names of people who have died from passive smoking. If you know (as the article says)that 80,000 people die from passive smoking, surely you can name one or two. I already know that there is not one person who has died from an overdose of vitamins.
By the way I am a non smoker.
You beat me to it Ray!
As far as I'm aware, there has never been any conclusive evidence that supports the 'passive smoking kills' hypothesis. If there is, perhaps the author of the article can provide it?
There is, however, conclusive evidence which proves a link between car exhaust fumes and leukemia in children. What's the EU going to do about that? Ban cars?
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