October 1988 - Sofia

1. National Medical Associations (NMAs) should attempt to start systematic, periodic surveys of physicians' smoking patterns (including the identification of high-risk groups by area of practice, age and sex) and encourage physicians who smoke to stop.

2. The Associations should help to educate the public on the risks of smoking and put pressure on legislative powers for appropriate legislation on no-smoking areas, the advertising and taxation of tobacco products and the levels of tar permitted in cigarettes.

3. The Associations will receive and use the nine booklets produced by the Regional Office for Europe, in association with the five-year action plan for a smoke-free Europe, particularly the first of the series, called 'The physician's role'.
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January 1992 - Basel

The European Forum of Medical Associations and WHO meeting in Basel on 30-31 January 1992

• aware that there are some countries in Europe where the frequency of smoking among physicians is one-third of that found among the general population;
• recognising that in some European countries the prevalence of smoking among physicians exceeds that of the general population;
• observing that physicians need special knowledge about the health consequences of smoking and about how to guide their patients to stop smoking;
• noting that scientific evidence shows that a physician's firm recommendation helps the patient to give up smoking permanently within one year in about 5% of cases;
• realising that physicians are seen as models in questions relating to healthy behaviour in their communities;
• regretting that there are still health care units with no policies on smoking, even for the personnel;
• wishing to secure the right to a smoke-free environment at work and for children in their homes;
• being aware of the alarming prevalence of smoking among adolescents in many countries;

Hereby REQUESTS medical associations in Europe to be active in:

• 1. urging physicians to stop smoking;
• 2. promoting the provision of health care in a smoke-free environment;
• 3. urging doctors to be active in promoting tobacco-free lifestyle and communities;
• 4. urging their governments and relevant international and regional integration organisations to introduce an effective legislative ban on direct and indirect advertising of tobacco products;
• 5. developing a firm policy on tobacco issues by 31 May 1993, which includes at least demands for increased taxes on tobacco products, the prohibition of smoking in workplaces, aeroplanes, trains, buses and public places, and enhanced prevention of smoking among young people. (Top of Page)
  

February 1994 - Budapest

STATEMENT ON TOBACCO OR HEALTH
The European Forum of National Medical Associations and WHO meeting in Budapest on 10-11 February 1994, adopted the following statement on tobacco and health:

Tobacco consumption constitutes a major risk for health and a cause of premature death.

The Forum therefore, bearing in mind the Forum's declaration of Basel (1992) on tobacco:

• REAFFIRMS the negative consequences of passive smoking and the necessity to extend and respect non-smoking areas in public places;

• CALLS ON governments to take strict legislative action in order to:
• prohibit advertising of tobacco, particularly in central and eastern European countries
• heavily tax tobacco products, an uniquely effective intervention.
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March 1995 - London

The European Forum of National Medical Associations and WHO meeting in London on 23-24 March 1995,

RECALLING its previous statements on Tobacco and Health in Basel (1992) and Budapest (1994):

URGES governments to enact strict legislation in order to:

• prohibit any advertising of tobacco, both direct or indirect
• heavily tax tobacco products, a proven effective intervention
• exclude tobacco from the national price index
• affix appropriate health warnings on cigarette and other tobacco packaging
• ensure the right to a smoke-free environment in public places including the workplace, transportation and educational establishments.
  

FURTHER CALLS UPON governments to increase information on the hazards of using tobacco products.

Finally, the Forum URGES each NMA in Europe to make its own premises smoke-free, to offer tobacco withdrawal courses for its members and to actively support national tobacco control programmes. (Top of Page)

February 1996 - Stockholm

The European Forum of Medical Associations and WHO meeting in Stockholm from 1-2 February 1996,

COMMITTED to a comprehensive approach to the problem of damage to health from the use of tobacco;

DETERMINED to contribute to improve health and a better environment.

RECOGNISING that a particular problem in the field of a smoke free transport which is advocated in its statement in London (1995), is related to travel by air.

URGES all NMAs to request airlines using airports within their countries to make flights smoke free. (Top of Page)

February 1997 - Copenhagen

STATEMENT ON TOBACCO
The European Forum of Medical Associations and WHO meeting in Copenhagen from 6-8 February 1997,

RECALLS its previous statements on tobacco control in Basel (1992), Budapest (1994), London (1995) and Stockholm (1996);

CONSCIOUS of the success of the Tobacco Action Group's success in its concerted action on smoking in aircraft;

DETERMINED to ensure that all possible actions continue to be taken to reduce the morbidity and mortality from smoking-related diseases;

CALLS UPON National Medical Associations (NMAs) to collaborate in the following actions:

• 1. Engage in positive actions to promote education on the risks and effects of smoking and promote a suitable climate of opinion to achieve effective and comprehensive smoking control legislation in their countries. These actions will include putting pressure on governments, for example banning direct and indirect advertising, targeting health care premises, including those used by physicians, and targeting schools and universities.
• 2. Those NMAs with expertise in tobacco control activities should assist in providing advice and support to those NMAs requesting it, particularly from countries of central and eastern Europe and the Newly Independent States. The EFMA Tobacco Resource Centre, located in the British Medical Association (BMA), will co-ordinate these actions in conjunction with WHO.
• 3. In order to assess the success of their activities in reducing smoking among physicians, undertake well-structured epidemiological surveys of physicians' smoking in their countries using WHO's model, starting with an initial baseline study carried out during this year, and reporting the results to the 1998 Forum.
• 4. To develop smoking cessation materials and training courses for their own members to support reduced smoking among physicians, using WHO materials if appropriate.
• 5. To follow up action on smoking, including passive smoking, through continued advocacy for smoke-free flights, airports and other enclosed public places and public transport.
• 6. To report annually to the Tobacco or Health Task Force on activities to reduce tobacco use among their members and among the population in general. (Top of Page)

March 1998 - Basel

STATEMENT ON TOBACCO
The European Forum of Medical Associations and WHO meeting in Basel, 6-7 March 1998,

Reaffirming its previous Statements on Tobacco (Basel 1992, Budapest 1994, London 1995, Copenhagen 1997)

Calls upon the Parliament and the Council of Ministers of the European Union to resist any amendment to the current proposed directive on the approximation of the Laws, Regulations and Administrative provisions of the Member States relating to the advertising and sponsorship of tobacco products. (Top of Page)