Strategic Advisor to the Regional Director of the WHO EURO, Dr Gauden Galea, provided a compelling message to the opening ceremony of the 9th ENSP European Conference on Tobacco Control (22-24 October 2024 – Athens, Greece).

“Ladies and gentlemen, colleagues, and friends,

It is a great pleasure and honor to address you today at the ninth ENSP European Conference on Tobacco Control. It’s inspiring to see so many dedicated advocates united in this important cause. I would also like to congratulate ENSP on 27 years of remarkable advocacy and hard work in tobacco control.
We have just celebrated the 20th anniversary of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, adopted in 2003 to combat the global rise in tobacco-related deaths. In parallel, we also look ahead to the UN High-Level Meeting on NCDs, in just 46 weeks.
The key question before us is: Where do we stand on implementing the Convention and reducing tobacco-related death, disease, and addiction? Are we on track to meet the 2025 targets?
On the positive side, tobacco use rates continue to decline, and many countries are strengthening their legislation. One-third of European nations have made public places smoke-free, three-quarters require large pictorial health warnings on cigarette packs, and nearly all countries collect tobacco use data, with an increasing number banning tobacco advertising and sponsorship.
However, we face significant challenges. Progress on one of the most cost-effective measures—raising tobacco taxes and prices—has stagnated. Only 20% of countries have implemented tobacco cessation services at the recommended level. With 25% of adults in the region still using tobacco, we continue to have one of the highest prevalence rates globally. The situation is particularly alarming among women, with 18% still using tobacco—a figure that is notably high on the global scale.
Moreover, the tobacco landscape is evolving. New products are flooding the market, and many countries have little or no regulation in place. Aggressive marketing has fueled a surge in e-cigarette use, particularly among young people, with rates now surpassing traditional cigarette use in many countries among 13-15-year-old students.
Another challenge is the tobacco industry—whose efforts to evade regulations, influence policy, and market its products threaten our progress. So, the situation today is vastly different from 20 years ago. Along with new challenges in tobacco control we are in an era of permacrisis—with emergencies, climate crises, wars, political instability, and pressures on the health sector.
Addressing these challenges relies on the energy, expertise, and research of public health professionals like you. We must stay one step ahead of the industry with smart, proactive actions. WHO remains committed to supporting countries in adopting and implementing strong tobacco control policies and working with partners like you.

I also want to emphasize the critical role of civil society and NGOs in shaping tobacco control strategies. Your efforts in industry monitoring, advocacy, communication, and research are invaluable in driving this agenda forward.

Thank you all for your dedication to a tobacco-free future for Europe.”