In our previous edition → we discussed that sound and inclusive public consultations are key to good governance and evidence-based policies.
After all, as recently as December 2023, the European Council adopted conclusions → on the “Strengthening the role and impact of research and innovation in the policymaking process in the Union” mentioning evidence-based policymaking no less than seven times.
In February 2024, the think tank network Epicenter released a study → highlighting European policymaker challenges to this approach – the essential basis for understanding problems and the identification of effective solutions – despite them often claiming to pursue the highest standards of evidence-based policymaking.
In this context, the European Parliament adopted a so-called own initiative report → (a political resolution rather than a legislative text) on non-communicable diseases in December 2023.
As far as tobacco policies are concerned, the report highlights among other issues that 60% of children are exposed to second-hand smoke at home, which could lead to severe illnesses. As no source is referenced for such a claim, we can only assume that this must refer to some recent EU-wide statistics. However, with less than 20% of the EU population smoking, it does not seem to be a very evidence-based number.
Exposure to secondhand smoke at home (SHS) in the WHO Europe region, ages 13-15
According to WHO data →, in some countries of the WHO European Region, “up to 60% of children” are exposed to SHS at home, making it a significant public health concern.
Without providing a source for their claim, the European Parliament’s resolution → on non-communicable diseases also states that “60% of children are exposed to second-hand smoke” at home. One can only assume that, given the similarity of the wording, they are referring to the WHO data.
The WHO claim can be considered, at best, misleading given the numbers from existing WHO surveys. But the statement in the EP resolution, however, is factually wrong when it states that 60% of children are exposed to secondhand smoke.
To date, 34 countries have conducted the relevant survey providing, in many cases, outdated data. And 19 countries (including 11 EU member states) have not conducted the survey at all.
The chart below indicates that, while two countries show the numbers of their children exposed to second-hand smoke at above 60%, only four others can claim to have figures at or approaching that figure (between 50-60%). This clearly contradicts the wording of the European Parliament’s resolution.
Countries with GYTS data Countries with no survey data
(last available data)
1. Albania (2020, 29,8%) | 1. Andorra |
2. Armenia (2009, 70%) | 2. Austria |
3. Azerbaijan (2016, 28,8%) | 3. Belgium |
4. Bosnia and Herzegovina (2019, 59,9%) | 4. Denmark |
5. Bulgaria (2015, 50,8%) | 5. France |
6. Croatia (2016, 60,1%) | 6. Germany |
7. Cyprus (2011, 81,4%) | 7. Iceland |
8. Czechia (2016, 35%) | 8. Ireland |
9. Estonia (2007, 41,1%) | 9. Israel |
10. Finland (2012, 5,8%) | 10. Luxembourg |
11. Georgia (2017, 43,2%) | 11. Malta |
12. Greece (2013, 56,7%) | 12. Monaco |
13. Hungary (2008, 43%) | 13. Netherlands |
14. Italy (2010, 48,5%) | 14. Norway |
15. Kazakhstan (2014, 18,2%) | 15. Spain |
16. Kosovo (2016, 47,8%) | 16. Sweden |
17. Kyrgyzstan (2019, 16,8%) | 17. Switzerland |
18. Latvia (2019, 33,8%) | 18. UK |
19. Lithuania (2018, 42,8%) | 19. Uzbekistan |
20. Montenegro (2018, 49%) | |
21. North Macedonia (2016, 46,2%) | |
22. Poland (2016, 40,7%) | |
23. Portugal (2013, 39,6%) | |
24. Moldova (2019, 28,3%) | |
25. Romania (2017, 35,9%) | |
26. Russia (2021, 23,1%) | |
27. San Marino (2022, 38,9%) | |
28. Serbia (2017, 58,9%) | |
29. Slovakia (2016, 38,3%) | |
30. Slovenia (2017, 28,9%) | |
31. Tajikistan (2019, 4,8%) | |
32. Turkey (2017, 46,1%) | |
33. Turkmenistan (2015, 0,3%) | |
34. Ukraine (2017, 20,5%) |
A quick factcheck shows that not even official WHO data can prove that this is true in a majority of countries. In fact, the opposite is true. Outdated and fragmented Data → from the Global Youth Tobacco Survey shows only four EU member states to be around that threshold…and for many countries no data at all is available.
This only reinforces the case for hearing out all voices affected by specific policies, notably also companies who are able to provide an unparalleled number of facts and data that can help to provide policymakers with the necessary evidence for public policy-making.
