EU Commission Spreads Misinformation on Vaping at COP11

Geneva, 17 November 2025 – At the Ministerial Roundtable during COP11, the European Commission’s DG for Health and Food Safety presented claims about vaping and other less harmful nicotine products that contradict scientific evidence and undermine effective tobacco control.

Sandra Gallina, Director-General, claimed that vaping and other safer nicotine products carry public health risks and questioned their effectiveness in smoking cessation. She also downplayed the role of flavours for adults switching from cigarettes, focusing on restricting and banning these products without acknowledging evidence of their value in harm reduction.

These statements ignore scientific evidence and evidence from countries embracing harm reduction, threatening to undermine policies that help smokers switch to less harmful alternatives.

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

“The EU Commission has long pushed misinformation on vaping, and it’s unsurprising they find a receptive audience at COP, where critical debate is stifled. This approach undermines millions of smokers seeking less harmful alternatives. Genuine public health policy means engaging with real science, not shutting down dissent.”

The World Vapers’ Alliance calls on the EU Commission to correct this misinformation and adopt policies grounded in evidence and harm reduction principles.

For more information, see our full media pack here: https://worldvapersalliance.com/cop11-media-pack/