{"id":6301,"date":"2025-06-17T02:33:44","date_gmt":"2025-06-17T06:33:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/worldvapersalliance.com\/?p=6301"},"modified":"2025-06-17T02:34:13","modified_gmt":"2025-06-17T06:34:13","slug":"croatias-proposed-vaping-tax-threatens-public-health-and-vapers-rights","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/worldvapersalliance.com\/en_gb\/croatias-proposed-vaping-tax-threatens-public-health-and-vapers-rights\/","title":{"rendered":"Croatia\u2019s Proposed Vaping Tax Threatens Public Health and Vapers\u2019 Right …"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Croatian government has launched a <\/span>public consultation<\/span><\/a> on a proposal to impose an excise tax of \u20ac0.20\/ml on e-liquids\u2014a move that would drastically raise the cost of vaping for consumers. Equally troubling is the fact that the consultation period has been set at just seven days, giving citizens, health experts, and consumer organisations little time to respond to a measure that could have profound consequences for public health.<\/span><\/p>\n

At the World Vapers\u2019 Alliance (WVA), together with our Croatian partner <\/span>CHROM<\/span><\/a>, we are submitting an official response to the consultation, urging the government to withdraw the proposed tax and to extend the consultation period to ensure a democratic and evidence-based policy process.<\/span><\/p>\n

A Tax That Would Push Vapers Back to Smoking<\/b><\/h4>\n

The scientific evidence is clear: <\/span>higher taxes on vaping products lead to higher smoking rates<\/b>. Multiple studies show that when vaping becomes more expensive or less accessible, consumers\u2014especially youth and low-income groups\u2014are more likely to turn to combustible cigarettes. This completely undermines public health goals and reverses progress made in reducing smoking-related disease.<\/span><\/p>\n

Vaping is proven to be <\/span>at least 95% less harmful<\/b><\/a> than smoking<\/b>, and it has also been shown to be <\/span>more effective<\/span><\/a> than traditional nicotine replacement therapies in helping smokers quit. Taxing these products as if they were equally dangerous not only misrepresents the science\u2014it actively harms the people these policies should be helping.<\/span><\/p>\n

Punishing the Poor and Widening Inequality<\/b><\/h4>\n

This tax is also deeply regressive. It would disproportionately impact low-income people, who make up the majority of smokers and rely on affordable options to switch to safer alternatives. Raising prices on vaping products during a cost-of-living crisis is not just unfair\u2014it\u2019s dangerous. It traps the most vulnerable in smoking, the leading preventable cause of death in Croatia and across Europe.<\/span><\/p>\n

There\u2019s a Better Way: Look to Other EU Countries<\/b><\/h4>\n

Countries like <\/span>Sweden, Greece, and the Czech Republic<\/b> are showing what a <\/span>smarter approach<\/span><\/a> looks like. Sweden, for example, is on track to become the first smoke-free EU country, thanks in large part to its support for safer nicotine alternatives and a <\/span>risk-based taxation system<\/b> that keeps these products affordable. Both Greece and the Czech Republic have incorporated harm reduction into their national strategies to fight smoking, and have raised their concerns against excessive EU regulation of vaping.<\/span><\/p>\n

Instead of penalising harm reduction, these countries are embracing it\u2014and their smoking rates are falling fast.<\/span><\/p>\n

The Process Matters Too<\/b><\/h4>\n

On top of the flawed policy proposal, <\/span>the seven-day consultation period is unacceptable<\/b>. A decision with this level of impact on health and consumer rights deserves meaningful public input. By rushing the process, the government is denying citizens a voice and undermining transparency.<\/span><\/p>\n

WVA and CHROM: Standing Up for Vapers\u2019 Rights \u2014 And You Can Too<\/b><\/h4>\n

The World Vapers\u2019 Alliance and CHROM are calling on the Croatian government to:<\/span><\/p>\n