Tobacco-free generation
Accelerating the Path to a Tobacco-Free Generation in Europe
Work Package 8 supports the goal of a Tobacco-Free Generation (less than 5% tobacco use by 2040) under Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan through policy assessment, surveillance and intervention scale-up. It assesses the feasibility of forward-looking tobacco control measures—such as raising the sales age and phasing out cigarettes— across selected EU Member States, and supports their implementation under Article 2.1 of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC). The WP also includes an EU-wide study in 10 countries to measure the prevalence of adolescent nicotine use and its drivers, alongside mapping industry tactics targeting youth. Finally, WP8 supports scaling up proven interventions to reduce youth nicotine use and exposure in schools and communities.
The central mission is to support the creation of a Tobacco-Free Generation by gathering vital evidence on youth tobacco use and industry interference, and by promoting the adoption and implementation of forward-looking, evidence-based tobacco control policies.
Objectives
- To support EU MS in implementing forward-looking tobacco control measures
- To support the Tobacco-Free Generation goal (<5% by 2040) of Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan
- To identify the prevalence and factors associated with tobacco products among EU adolescents
- To support the scaling up of evidence based interventions that support interventions that minimise nicotine product use and reduce exposure to SHS and aerosols among youth.
- To perform an assessment of forward-looking tobacco control measures (WHO FCTC Article 2.1) in Europe
- To map how the tobacco and nicotine industry encourages product uptake among youth, and how this impacts
the expansion of smoke- and aerosol-free environments - To develop an EU-wide cross-sectional study among youth, focusing on the prevalence and driving factors associated with nicotine product use
Actions
Planned activities
- To perform an assessment of forward-looking tobacco control measures (WHO FCTC Article 2.1) in Europe: Partners map and assess advanced policy options (e.g., phase-out of sales, raising sales age) and evaluate their feasibility in their countries using the regulatory impact assessment (RIA) approach.
- To support EU MS in implementing forward-looking tobacco control measures: This task supports EU Member States to adopt and implement forward-looking tobacco control measures by synthesising evidence, modelling the potential impact of selected “endgame” options, and translating findings into EU-level support actions such as webinars and policy briefs with practical recommendations
- To map the tactics used by the tobacco/nicotine industry to enhance product uptake by youth and counterattack the extension of smoke/aerosol-free environments: This task uses active data collection to analyze industry tactics, particularly focusing on social media influence targeting youth.
- To develop an EU wide cross-sectional study among youth focusing on the prevalence and driving factors associated with nicotine product use: This key surveillance effort commences data collection in 10 selected EU MS to gather evidence on youth tobacco use prevalence and determinants.
- To support the scaling up of evidence-based interventions that support interventions that minimise nicotine product use and reduce exposure to SHS and aerosols among youth: Best and promising practices are scaled up via pilot projects in selected EU MS, guided by a JA-SAFE Youth Advisory Group.
Expected outcomes
- Critical data and policy recommendations to support EU Member States in achieving a Tobacco-Free Generation
- Key deliverables, including:
- Final report on the EU youth prevalence and driving factors study
- Final report compiling all actions and outputs of WP8
- Identification and planning of the best or promising practices for the prevention of tobacco and nicotine product use by youth
- Public webinar targeting key stakeholders