Ahead of this year’s EU State of the Union address on Sept. 13 in Strasbourg, France, the World Vapers’ Alliance (WVA) urged President Ursula von der Leyen to tackle the devastating impact of smoking-related diseases in the European Union. The association proposes the EU Commission’s president embrace a coherent EU-wide harm reduction strategy that includes evidence-based approaches to vaping and nicotine pouches, which have been shown to significantly reduce harm compared to smoking.

“We implore Ursula von der Leyen to finally address the far-reaching impacts of smoking,” said WVA Director Michael Landl in a statement. “Smoking is a public health problem requiring immediate attention, causing more than 700,000 deaths in the EU annually. Evidence is clear that alternative nicotine products, such as vaping and nicotine pouches, can be a game changer in the battle against smoking. The time for brave leadership is now.”

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