BRUSSELS, April 02, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The European Commission’s newly released evaluation of the Tobacco Products Directive (TPD) is facing sharp criticism from the World Vapers’ Alliance (WVA) for what it describes as a “masterclass in cherry-picking science”. The report, intended to serve as the evidentiary foundation for a total revision of EU tobacco laws, celebrates a 14.3% decline in smoking across the bloc since 2012 as a policy success.

However, the WVA points out a massive disparity in results: this very week, Sweden announced its smoking rate has plummeted to a record low of 3.7%. While the rest of the EU settles for incremental progress, Sweden has slashed its smoking rate by 66% over the same period. This was achieved by embracing tobacco harm reduction and allowing less harmful alternatives like nicotine pouches and vaping to compete with cigarettes.

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