The European Commission constantly prides itself on the promise to legislate based on evidence and open public consultation. Yet, as we approach the critical update of the Tobacco Products Directive (TPD), that promise is being broken. Instead of embracing the science that could end the smoking epidemic, Brussels is building a fortress of misinformation, actively shutting out the very consumers and experts who hold the key to a smoke-free future.

Official Policy Based on Myths The most alarming development isn’t just that individual politicians are misinformed; it is that misinformation has become institutional policy. Commissioners Wopke Hoekstra and Olivér Várhelyi have repeatedly made statements that contradict decades of scientific research. Commissioner Hoekstra has bluntly stated that “vaping kills” and claims that less harmful alternatives damage blood vessels and stimulate tumour growth, claims that conflate the massive risks of combustion with the vastly lower risks of nicotine.

Commissioner Várhelyi has gone further, resurrecting the debunked “popcorn lung” myth and asserting that nicotine pouches “generate substances known to cause cancer”. When the people writing the laws believe that life-saving alternatives are “comparable to smoking,” the result is policy that protects the cigarette trade by destroying its competition.

Ignoring the Success Stories Next Door: This ideological blindness is particularly baffling because the proof of harm reduction’s success lies within the EU’s own borders. Sweden is on the verge of becoming the first smoke-free country in the world, not through bans, but by allowing less harmful alternatives like snus, nicotine pouches, and vapes to displace cigarettes. Similarly, the Czech Republic and Greece have seen significant drops in smoking rates by integrating harm reduction into their national strategies.

Yet, instead of using these Member States as a blueprint for EU policies, the Commission is treating them as anomalies to be corrected. The proposed tax hikes on vaping and pouches would force these less harmful products to be priced similarly to lethal cigarettes, effectively punishing smokers for trying to switch.

Silencing the Citizen: Perhaps most egregious is the Commission’s systematic sidelining of the public. When the Commission consulted citizens on its Cardiovascular Health Plan, an AI analysis revealed that over 76% of respondents supported harm reduction strategies. They shared their stories of quitting smoking through vaping and pouches. The Commission’s response? To ignore them. Instead of engaging with these consumers, Commissioners have held closed-door meetings exclusively with EU-funded anti-nicotine organisations. This creates a dangerous echo chamber where “consultation” becomes a box-ticking exercise rather than a genuine attempt to understand reality.

This disdain for public input has now escalated into an active smear campaign. A recent investigation by “Clearing The Air” revealed that an unknown NGO, “Impact Unfiltered,” is actively lobbying Brussels to dismiss over 18,000 consultation responses, mostly from ordinary citizens opposing higher taxes, as “fake” or “coordinated.” Their justification relies on misleading claims, such as labelling standard privacy choices as suspicious “anonymity” or framing the use of common terms like “harm reduction” as proof of industry interference. The in-depth analysis, however, found no evidence of bot activity and confirmed that these were genuine submissions from voters concerned about their health and finances. Yet, instead of defending its own democratic process, the Commission appears ready to use these baseless accusations as a convenient excuse to disregard the clear public mandate against its prohibitionist agenda.

The Stakes for the TPD

As we look toward the TPD review, the danger is clear. If the Commission continues to conflate nicotine with smoking and ignores the millions of Europeans who have switched to less harmful products, the new directive will be a disaster for public health.

It is time for Brussels to stop fighting consumers and start fighting smoking-induced illnesses. That means acknowledging that nicotine pouches and vapes are not cigarettes, listening to the science, and respecting the democratic voice of the people they serve. Smoking kills, and harm reduction saves lives. The Commission needs to decide which side of history it wants to be on.