In the first half of 2024, Romanian authorities seized over 40 million counterfeit cigarettes in a series of operations that garnered widespread media attention. A detailed article in 'Ziare' drew on EPICENTER's Nanny State Index 2023 to delve into the factors behind Romania’s stringent tobacco control policies, including its high tax rates on tobacco products. The Index underscored Romania's position as one of the most heavily regulated countries in the European Union regarding tobacco, reflecting the government's efforts to curb smoking but also inadvertently fueling the illegal cigarette market.