Passive smoking

Banning the sale of tobacco to people born between 2006 and 2010 could prevent around 1.2 million deaths from lung cancer by the end of the century, said a modelling study released on Thursday.

Smoking is responsible for roughly 85 percent of all cases of lung cancer, the deadliest cancer worldwide, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).

The European Commission has proposed extending smoking bans in the EU to include open public spaces. This recommendation is designed to enhance protection against "passive smoking," according to BTA.

The European Commission is considering banning smoking in outdoor areas such as café terraces, bus stops, and zoos. This potential move aims to further restrict smoking in Europe, following the example of countries that have already implemented strict measures. Experts say this is part of a broader effort to protect public health.

Some 250,000 Turkish citizens have quit smoking with the help of "Alo 171," a phone line connecting smokers with the health officials who help them to quit, the country's Health Ministry has said.

In a statement issued for May 31, World No Tobacco Day, the ministry highlighted that more than 700,000 people called the line in 2021 and more than one third succeeded in quitting.

Every year on May 31, World No Smoking Day is celebrated at the initiative of the World Health Organization (WHO).

The initiative is held around the world, highlighting the health risks associated with tobacco use and calling for effective policies to reduce consumption levels.

Tobacco kills more than 8 million people globally every year. More than 7 million of these deaths are from direct tobacco use and around 1.2 million are due to non-smokers being exposed to second-hand smoke.

Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis hailed the Health Ministry's National Action Plan Against Smoking as a "bold initiative for protecting public health," at its presentation in Athens on Tuesday.

People will be able to report violations of the smoking ban on a three-digit number, according to Health Minister Vassilis Kikilias, who reiterated the government's intention to enforce the relevant law.

A pledge by the government to crack down on smoking in public places - finally enforcing a law that was introduced a decade ago - will initially focus on Greece's Parliament building, followed by ministries, hospitals, schools and other places where social services are provided, officials decided on Wednesday.

Last year, about 110,000 people died in Bulgaria, nearly 15% of them, or about 17,000 people suffering from some form of cancer, show Eurostat data on mortality rates in EU countries and adverse health effects from smoking , which is a major trigger for many diseases.