"Eurobarometer" on tobacco: EU citizens support smoke free policies 

These results are in line with those obtained in the 2006 Eurobarometer and confirm the overwhelming support that smoke-free policies have in the EU.

Even if there seems to be a clear trend towards the reduction of exposure to tobacco smoke at the work place in Europe, a fifth of European workers are still exposed to tobacco smoke on a daily basis.

The Flash Eurobarometer also shows that more than half (55%) of EU citizens perceive that adding a colour picture to a text-only health warnings on the tobacco packs would strengthen the message."

For detailed information check the EU website "Key Documents" page on the issue of tobacco here. The above article and figures are provided courtesy of the European Commission website.

This support from European citizens towards smoking ban policies is an issue the European Society of Cardilogy's European Relations committees have been very much advocating for in the last few years, particularly through the launch of the European Heart Health Charter, whose primary objective is "to determine areas of policies and public health interventions which can contribute to preventing avoidable deaths and disability across Europe".

Recent press releases and news articles from the ESC on the smoking ban issue include:

Press releases

• Heart attack rates fall following national smoking bans (2008)
• World No Tobacco Day 2007 
• On World No Tobacco Day ESC urges countries to protect citizens by spreading the smoking ban across Europe (2006)

News articles

If you, as a healthcare professional, are trying to help your patients beat the habit and make exposure to tobacco smoke a thing of the past, visit our Prevention pages and discover how the ESC Tools for Prevention may help you in your daily practice.

If you would be interested in finding out more on ESC Regulatory Affairs or Prevention initiatives and tools, contact us here.