Poland expressed support for the European Parliament’s expansion of no-smoking zones but stopped short of taking concrete action. At the same time, the Polish government has also made slow progress in implementing stricter laws and regulations on the sale of vapes.
As recently reported, the European Parliament has called for the expansion of non-smoking areas on restaurant terraces, parks, and beaches. This initiative was supported by Poland. Despite unofficial information suggesting that the Polish government plans to strengthen the law on this issue, the government has not been active in implementing it.
The EU’s new law aims to reduce the proportion of smokers to 5% by 2040. As a result, the European Parliament has adopted a decision aimed at expanding the scope of smoke-free environments, including a ban on smoking in parks, beaches, and restaurant terraces. Poland supports this, but it has shown no intention of tightening its laws. According to undisclosed information, the government currently has no plans to introduce stricter rules.
Despite previous warnings, Poland has yet to introduce regulations restricting the sale of e-cigarettes. The issue has been under discussion for nearly a year, and the revised Health Protection Law, which was supposed to be considered on December 18, was scheduled to include provisions on e-cigarettes, but the item once again failed to make it to the agenda. The Ministry of Health explained that the complexity of the matter had led to delays.
A proposed ban on the sale of snacks was not implemented in a proposed amendment to the tobacco law, and the sale of these products is prohibited only to minors. The government has also delayed an amendment to ban the sale of flavored and heated tobacco.
