18.05.2022 – Brussels. The EU Commission published yet another statement that spreads misinformation and false myths about vaping last week. The EU Commissioner for Health and Food Safety, Stella Kyriakides, questioned the effectiveness of vaping as a smoking cessation aid, attacked nicotine and claimed vaping would be a gateway to smoking.    

Michael Landl, Direktor der World Vapers' Alliance, kommentierte: 

“It is shocking that the EU Commission still peddles these worn-out and debunked theories. The Commission systematically ignores the wealth of scientific evidence pointing to the benefits of vaping, not to mention the first-hand experience of millions of vapers. Vaping is 95% weniger schädlich als Rauchen und eine effektivere Methode, mit dem Rauchen aufzuhören than traditional therapies such as gum and patches. The Commission’s approach to vaping will do nothing but cost lives.” 

Der Stellungnahme is a written response to a question asked by MEP Sara Skyttedal regarding the future treatment of vaping and snus, and how the Commission plans to deal with them in light of Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan.

The EU Commission keeps refusing to compare vaping to smoking. If they did so, it would become clear that the current approach is wrong. Professor Jacob George (University of Dundee) found that smokers who switch to vaping “demonstrate significant improvement in vascular health”. Instead of recommending smokers to switch to vaping or other less harmful alternatives, Commissioner Kyriakides refuses to listen to science, experts, and consumers. 

“The statement shows that the EU Commission intends to further crackdown on vaping. This is not a good sign regarding the upcoming Tobacco Products Directive update. This strengthens our conviction that consumers need to raise their voices. We need to convince our representatives in the European Parliament to push back on the Commission’s hostility towards harm reduction,” added Michael Landl. 

The upcoming update of the EU’s Tobacco Products Directive (TPD) will determine the future of vaping, possibly threatening the most successful smoking cessation aid and public health. Currently, the EU is discussing the next TPD update and how to include new nicotine alternatives. Unfortunately, the EU aims to continue its hostile and anti-scientific attack on vaping and other harm reducing products.