Tobacco control in Europe: progress and key challenges

We discuss progress made with respect to reducing the burden of disease caused by tobacco use within the WHO European Region and outline major issues and challenges regarding ongoing implementation of tobacco control policy. Although 50 of 53 countries in the WHO European Region are parties to the WHO Framework Convention for Tobacco Control (FCTC), smoking prevalence varies tremendously between European countries. While smoking rates are decreasing slowly, faster declines among smokers with a higher socioeconomic status are leading to growing inequalities in tobacco use. Governments in Europe increasingly formulate visions of 'tobacco-free' societies and it is encouraging that the European Commission aims to achieve a tobacco-free Europe in 2040 as part of its Europe's Beating Cancer Plan. While core WHO FCTC measures still have to be fully implemented in many European countries, some countries are implementing more advanced measures such as plain packaging, banning of characterising flavours from tobacco products, tobacco retailer licensing and extensions of smoking bans into spaces such as cars, outdoor areas and public streets. Remaining challenges include protecting tobacco control policymaking from tobacco industry interference, insufficient dedicated budget for scientific research and the need for Europe-wide monitoring data on use of tobacco and nicotine products.

Automated summary

This article discusses the progress made in reducing the burden of tobacco-related diseases in the WHO European Region and highlights the challenges faced in implementing tobacco control policies. While the majority of European countries have ratified the WHO Framework Convention for Tobacco Control, smoking prevalence varies significantly across the region and inequalities in tobacco use are growing due to faster declines among higher socioeconomic groups. The article also mentions the efforts of governments and the European Commission towards creating tobacco-free societies, with some countries implementing advanced measures such as plain packaging and banning characterising flavors. However, challenges remain in protecting policymaking from tobacco industry interference, funding scientific research, and obtaining Europe-wide monitoring data on tobacco and nicotine product use.