29 September 2025 – An AI-powered review of the European Commission’s cardiovascular health consultation uncovers a clear trend: wherever harm reduction was discussed, more than 76% of respondents backed policies making less harmful nicotine alternatives part of the EU’s Cardiovascular Plan. Most of these voices called for legal access to vaping, nicotine pouches, and other low-risk products to reduce smoking rates and improve cardiovascular health.

Michael Landl, Director of the World Vapers’ Alliance, said:  

“The EU Commission says that less harmful alternatives have ‘comparable risk’ to smoking, but the evidence and citizens say exactly the opposite. The Commission is ignoring the science and shutting out the people whose lives are at stake. If they aren’t ready to update their own position, then these consultations are nothing but window dressing.”

Opposition to harm reduction was a small minority, mostly from old-school tobacco control groups and a few health bodies clinging to the abstinence-only mindset. In contrast, the majority of engaged citizens, consumer advocates, academic experts, and medical professionals sent a strong signal demanding that harm reduction and real-world quitting options be given a chance at the European level.

Key findings, based on AI analysis of 677 submissions (excluding those that did not mention harm reduction), show that when harm reduction was on the table:

• 76% were positive
• 15% were neutral
• 9% were negative

The full results and more information can be found here: https://worldvapersalliance.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/EU-Cardiovascular-Consultation_.pdf 

This strong support for harm reduction stands in sharp contrast to the EU Commission’s repeated claims that new nicotine substitutes are as dangerous as smoking. If EU officials keep clinging to these outdated claims and ignore their own citizens, then the consultation process risks becoming a farce. Europe can and should follow the science and success stories like Sweden and trust people to make their own choices.