The Network in February: ECI-TFE updates; 💌Keep Loving, Stop Smoking with ENSPNext; Other news and upcoming events

European Network for Smoking and Tobacco Prevention Newsletter

13 February, 2023

Last chance to submit your abstract to the European Conference on Tobacco or Health 2023

Abstracts can still been submitted for the 9th edition of the European Conference on Tobacco or Health (ECToH), that will be hosted in Madrid, from 26 to 28 April 2023. This year's conference will focus on youth and the most vulnerable groups, with a special emphasis in the promotion of health equity in tobacco prevention and control.

The conference aims to generate a social movement involving the different actors that play a key role in tobacco control and encourages this mobilisation through its theme perfectly aligned with the goal set by the European Union, which is: a ‘Tobacco-Free Generation’ in Europe where less than 5% of the population uses tobacco by 2040.

Join the conversation in finding solutions for the eradication of the tobacco epidemic.

Deadline to submit your abstract: 15 February 2023.

Have a look at the programme here...

Submit your abstract

ECI-TFE launches its social media accounts

ECI-TFE ( Call to achieve a tobacco-free environment and the first European tobacco-free generation by 2030) is slowly building a community that is more motivated than ever. To be even closer to each other, our initiative has officially launched its social media accounts and is now ready to be tagged in all of your posts.

Be a European Citizen and use your right as defined by the EU Constitution to make a change for you, for your loved ones, and for the next generation.

By supporting this initiative, you could actively contribute to a healthy population, a healthy environment, and a healthy Europe. The Network is grateful for all the support received since the launch in January and extends special thanks to our partners European Lung Foundation and European Respiratory Society. Only together we are stronger!

Let's stay connected!

Help us spread the word through your networks using the hashtags

#ECITFE and #TobaccoFreeEurope !

Sign and share

ENSPNext Campaign

Keep loving, stop smoking

There are countless reasons to love as there are to stop smoking. In February, love is in the air and we would like to remind you why quitting tobacco use is an act of love toward yourself and others.

With the campaign L.O.V.E. ( Leave Out of Wrong Experiences), the ENSP Youth Group, in collaboration with the Tobaccology Unit from the University Sapienza of Rome (UNITAB) and the Turpanjian College of Health Sciences of the American University of Armenia, aims to transcend the original meaning of romance to highlight the importance of appreciating our bodies, our relationships and the world around us and therefore, approach the idea of quitting differently: Keep loving, stop smoking.

Starting February 14 and for the next 7 days, different posts ─ carefully designed around this idea ─ will pop up as a reminder of self-love and acceptance. Our goal will be to encourage anybody that relates to these messages to connect with us and become a part of the tobacco control community.

#keeplovingstopsmoking #ENSPNext

Follow the campaign on our platforms!

Other news and publications

ENSP welcomes its newest members!

A Non Smoking Generation (SWEDEN) is an independent, non-profit organisation in Sweden aiming to reduce the amount of young people that start using tobacco. The organisation inspires, informs and engages both children and adults to help create environments that motivate and guide youth toward choosing a tobacco-free life.

The Danish National Quitline (DENMARK) provides high-quality, free of charge telephone counseling to citizens of Denmark who wish to quit or reduce their use of nicotine products such as cigarettes, snus, chewing tobacco, nicotine pouches, e-cigarettes, etc.

The Danish National also offers high-quality professional counseling and advice to healthcare professionals. The Danish National Quitline contributes to efficient tobacco control in Denmark through network activity.

Green Crescent Society (TÜRKIYE) is a non-governmental organization that endeavors to protect society and young people from harmful habits, without discrimination, in accordance with the principles of human honor and respect.

Guided by national and moral values, and using scientific methods, Green Crescent continues its struggle against tobacco, alcohol, drug, technology, gambling and other addictions by engaging in preventive and rehabilitative public health and advocacy works. Green Crescent plays a pioneering role in addiction prevention, both nationally and internationally.

Denmark introduces a Notification to the European Commission concerning the Bill amending a series of Acts on tobacco and novel tobacco products

The European Commission has adopted a Delegated Directive amending Directive 2014/40/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council as regards the withdrawal of certain exemptions in respect of heated tobacco products. Implementation of the Directive requires a change in Danish legislation, therefore Denmark introduced a Notification to the European Commission concerning the Bill amending the Act on tobacco products etc., the Act on electronic cigarettes etc., the Act on the prohibition of the sale of tobacco and alcohol to persons under the age of 18, and the Act on smoke-free environments.

In light of the Directive, the Bill introduced by Denmark proposes a series of clarifications and technical adjustments, starting with prohibiting the placing on the market of heated tobacco products with a characterising flavour. It is also proposed to prohibit the placing on the market of heated tobacco products containing flavouring substances in their constituents such as filters, paper, packaging, capsules, or any technical function that allows modification of the smell or taste of heated tobacco products or their smoke intensity. Furthermore, it is proposed that heated tobacco products consisting of filters, paper or capsules containing tobacco or nicotine may not be marketed in Denmark.

The Delegated Directive also means that heated tobacco products, insofar as they are smoking tobacco, cannot in the future be exempted from the provisions on the affixing of the information message provided for in Article 9(2) of the Tobacco Products Directive and the combined health warnings set out in Article 10 of the Tobacco Products Directive. This is implemented at Order level and not in this Bill.

In addition to the Delegated Directive, the Bill will also contain other adjustments, in particular, a clarification of the requirements for age verification and the Danish Health Authority's signs, since, in the context of several judicial reviews, it has been considered that there is not sufficiently clear legal basis to require operators to establish a general age verification system for the sale of alcoholic beverages, tobacco and nicotine products, and herbal products for smoking. Against this background, penalties cannot be imposed on operators for failure to establish such a system.

In addition, the Bill contains clarifications and technical adjustments in the form of updated references to laws and regulations, greater clarity of products covered in individual provisions, and repeal of a provision in the Act on electronic cigarettes etc., which is no longer relevant.

Read the full document here...

Nicotine puff bars - a real threat to youth

In an article published by UICC, ENSP Board Member and President of the French Alliance against tobacco (ACT), Prof Loïc Josseran, showcases the results of a survey conducted by the Alliance with the goal of assessing the perceptions and uses of disposable flavoured electronic cigarettes among teenagers aged 13 to 16.

ACT emphasizes how these products are totally underrated by society when it comes to youth consumption, and the study confirms that an alarmingly high percentage of teenagers have already bought and tested them. And in addition to the health effects, these products are a disaster for the planet, being added up to the 4,500 billion cigarette butts thrown into the environment each year.

An immediate ban on puff bars is not an option, but a necessity: "The banning of these disposable e-cigarette products is therefore essential from a health and environmental perspective if we do not want to see this pediatric nicotine addiction epidemic accelerate. (...) Supported by several deputies, this action shows that our messages(link is external), alerting on the sanitary and environmental threats of these products, were heard."