Recommendations on how to achieve tobacco-free nations in Europe

Abstract

European countries vary widely in the development and implementation of effective tobacco-control programs and policies. Why some countries lag behind others is inherently a political matter. National-level policymakers struggle between the need to protect public health and the need to recognize economic and ideological considerations. Within this context, use of scientific evidence plays an important role in the policy making process. Articles 20 and 22 of the World Health Organisation's Framework Convention of Tobacco Control (FCTC) oblige countries to develop and coordinate research on aspects of tobacco control and require of them to facilitate knowledge transfer and capacity building between countries. This paper considers various ways how EU and national policy makers may accomplish this. We conclude that progress in three areas is needed: 1) generation of more scientific evidence relevant for each country; 2) facilitation of policy learning between countries; and 3) building capacity and collaborations between researchers and tobacco-control advocates to bridge the gap from research to policy, especially in countries with weak tobacco-control infrastructures.

Lesson-drawing in tobacco control: A qualitative study of stakeholder perceptions in five North-Western European countries

“…A considerable body of research on the effectiveness and impact of tobacco control policies originates from countries within the English-speaking family of nations (the United States, Canada, Australia, and the United Kingdom), and to a much lesser extent from other parts of Europe 29 . As our findings suggest that governments may draw lessons more readily from other European nations nearby, it is important to invest more in European research on the effectiveness and implementation of tobacco control policies 30 .…”

Targeted Primary and Secondary Preventive Strategies for Depression among Malaysian Pharmacy Students

“…Smoking abstinence has been proven to improve serious mental illness [ 36 ]. Smoke-free policies and campaigns have been successfully implemented at several universities in developed countries, which had positive impacts on behavior [ 37 , 38 ]. In addition, regular physical activities have been associated with better mental health and stress relief, which can be used by universities concurrently with smoke-free campaigns [ 39 ].…”

Tobacco retail licencing systems in Europe

“…Framing licencing as a way to protect children from the harms of tobacco could improve political support, as was the case in Finland 27 32. Smoke-free generation goals have been set in at least five European countries including Scotland, Ireland, the Netherlands and Belgium 33. The potential for adopting tobacco retailer licencing, when framed in the context of such goals, may be particularly high in these countries.…”