[Intl-tobacco] EU health chief vows smoking crackdown

[robert weissman]

EU health chief vows smoking crackdown
Reuters
October 8, 2004

By Jeremy Smith

BRUSSELS - Europe's incoming health chief has pledged to crack down on
smoking, saying there is no bigger evil to be battled than cigarettes and
encouraging national bans across the 25-nation EU.

Speaking to the European Parliament on Friday, Markos Kyprianou said he
hoped that after five years all EU governments would impose smoking bans and
build on Ireland's example earlier this year.

"There's no greater scourge that is to be combated than smoking and
cigarettes," he said.

"Europeans deserve protection against smoking at the place of work and in
other public areas," he said. "I have no problem taking on the tobacco
industry...and in countries where smoking has been banned, the results are
positive."

He was speaking during a hearing to confirm his appointment as the EU's next
commissioner for health and food safety.

In March, Ireland became the first country in the world to ban smoking in
restaurants, bars and pubs. It is now illegal to smoke in almost all Irish
workplaces and closed public spaces -- with penalties of up to 3,000 euros
(2,000 pounds).

Since then, Norway and Malta have also instituted similar smoking bans, and
Sweden is scheduled to do likewise next year.

"I follow closely the very noble initiatives in this respect in Ireland and
I hope that by the end of my period in office, all Europeans will be able to
achieve a similar level of protection," Kyprianou said.

A Cypriot, Kyprianou is due to replace Ireland's David Byrne -- who favours
an EU-wide smoking ban. He also pledged to tackle cigarette advertising on
television and the cinema.

"The hero of a film should not be a smoker," he said.

"I would like to work together with the cinema industry to avoid this sort
of thing. The same is true for television: if a programme glorifies smoking,
it should not be shown at hours where it can be seen by young people," he
said.

It was also crucial to cut back on alcohol consumption, especially by the
young, he said, and promote a healthy lifestyle to reduce alarming rises in
obesity -- especially in children.

"I am particularly concerned with the protection of young people from the
dangers of unreasonable consumption of alcohol, as well as tobacco and the
risks of obesity. I think we need to address these risks at a very early age
in human life," he said.

The prevalence of obesity has increased by 10 to 40 percent in the majority
of European countries in the past 10 years, according to the International
Obesity Task Force (IOTF).