THE TOBACCO CONTROL SCALE 2025 IN EUROPE

The Tobacco Control Scale 2025 shows that progress in tobacco control across Europe has slowed, with more countries recording lower scores than in previous years. Key reasons include the failure to regulate heated tobacco products in the same way as cigarettes and the lack of adjustments to tobacco taxes and prices to keep pace with inflation.

While some countries, including the Netherlands, Slovenia, Belgium, and Portugal, strengthened their tobacco control policies, most countries saw little progress or declined in performance. Several countries were penalized for regulatory gaps related to heated tobacco products, and many failed to maintain the effectiveness of pricing policies due to rising inflation.

Overall, the findings highlight the need for stronger and more comprehensive tobacco control measures, particularly in the areas of product regulation, taxation, and smoke-free policies.