That is the idea behind the European Commission’s proposed overhaul of the Tobacco Taxation Directive (TTD), which aims to raise minimum excise duties on cigarettes by 139 percent. It will also introduce EU-wide minimum taxes on vapes, heated tobacco products, and nicotine pouches. The proposal is still under negotiation because it requires unanimous approval from all 27 EU member states.

Smoking remains widespread, with around 24 percent of Europeans still smoking and roughly 300 billion cigarettes sold across the EU every year. Smoking-related illnesses contribute to around 700,000 deaths annually and cost an estimated €25 billion in…

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