New measures against smoking cigarettes and e-cigarettes have been announced by Italy’s health minister Orazio Schillaci in a hearing before the Social Affairs Committee of the Chamber of Deputies, reports Euractiv.

On it’s way to achieving the European Cancer Plan’s goal of creating a ‘tobacco-free generation’, Italy’s government is taking further action against smoking. This includes banning smoking rooms in closed premises and the extension of a ban on smoking in open-air places when minors or pregnant women are present.
“Measures will have to be taken to guarantee all citizens maximum protection of their health, a fundamental right of the individual and an interest of the community,” said Schillaci.
There will be no exceptions made for e-cigarettes or heated tobacco products as the health minister said it was necessary to take all new products that are on the market into account. Furthermore, the government has plans to extend the advertising ban currently applied to cigarettes to other products that contain nicotine, reports Euractiv.
Schillaci said that smoking is, “still the main cause of preventable morbidity and mortality in Italy” and emphasised the importance of meeting the EU’s target that less than 5 per cent of the population will consume tobacco by 2040.