Less smoke, less disease: EU's anti-tobacco and anti-alcohol offensive
How to effectively reduce addictions, promote healthy lifestyles and reduce pressure on healthcare systems? In Luxembourg, EU health ministers, led by Poland, debated the future of healthcare policy in Europe. Prevention was the focus – no longer treated as a cost, but as an investment in a healthy and long-lived society.
A meeting of EU health ministers took place in Luxembourg, during which effective legal and political tools were discussed to reduce tobacco and alcohol consumption and to promote a healthy diet, physical activity and screening . This event was of particular importance, as it was the last meeting of this type under the Polish presidency. Minister of Health Izabela Leszczyna emphasized that: " Poland's presidency of the EU Council shows that we can unite member states around common priorities for health". One of the key topics was prevention in the fight against addictions .
- Prevention is an investment, not a cost, and it is high time to open a discussion on the tobacco directive . The world is not standing still and the directive from almost a dozen years ago does not cover all the dangerous products, especially for young people, that are on the market - said Izabela Leszczyna, Minister of Health.
EU health ministers agreed that preventive measures must be implemented systematically to minimise differences in effectiveness between member states. Particular importance was given to combating tobacco smoking , which is responsible for 27% of lung cancer cases in the EU. It was also considered that restrictions should cover modern nicotine products , such as e-cigarettes, which are equally harmful – especially for young people. Ministers noted that reducing tobacco and alcohol consumption can significantly reduce the number of chronic diseases .
- Given that healthcare systems in Member States are under increasing pressure, prevention could prove to be the most effective way to reduce costs and burdens. Cardiovascular diseases alone cost the European healthcare system almost €280 billion per year, and up to 70% of these costs could be reduced through effective prevention measures , said EU Health Commissioner Olivér Várhelyi.
The European Commission has announced further, systemic support for Member States in the fight against major health threats – including tobacco, nicotine and alcohol consumption . Action is planned not only for traditional tobacco products , but also for innovative products such as e-cigarettes .
Commissioner Várhelyi also highlighted the EU’s long-term goals in this area: “ Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan aims to create a tobacco-free generation by 2040 and reduce tobacco consumption to less than 5% of the population.” He added that the current legislation is currently being reviewed with a view to modifying it.
In the summary of the meeting, ministers agreed that effective health prevention must become one of the main priorities of the European Union if the goal is both a healthy society and a strong economy.
Updated: 20/06/2025 20:00
politykazdrowotna
