{"id":594,"date":"2021-12-09T15:54:26","date_gmt":"2021-12-09T20:54:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cccwva.wpengine.com\/?p=594"},"modified":"2022-02-05T13:54:14","modified_gmt":"2022-02-05T18:54:14","slug":"beca-vote","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/worldvapersalliance.com\/eu\/beca-vote\/","title":{"rendered":"Consumer voices central to European Parliament’s decision to support …"},"content":{"rendered":"

8 December \u2013 Brussels<\/strong>\u00a0\u2013 The European Parliament has today voted to support reducing the harm caused by smoking, as part of Europe\u2019s Beating Cancer plan, but ties vapers\u2019 hands when it comes to flavour choices.<\/p>\n

The World Vapers\u2019 Alliance, representing thousands of vapers voices around Europe, had called for flavours to be part of Europe\u2019s Beating Cancer plan during its Back Vaping Beat Smoking European tour.<\/p>\n

Commenting on the result of the vote that was held today at the Special Committee on Beating Cancer, Michael Landl, Director of the World Vapers\u2019 Alliance said:<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Parliament acknowledged that vaping allows smokers to quit, and that is a significant step forward in our fight to save lives by reducing the harms caused by smoking. It\u2019s a testament to the power of the voice of individual consumers coming together. However, risking vapers\u2019 access to flavour choices means this positive step forward is overshadowed by uncertainty.\u00a0\u201c<\/em><\/p>\n

The wording in the adopted amendments to the Cancer Plan throws the ball in the Commission\u2019s court for identifying vaping flavours which are \u201cappealing to children\u201d in order to ban them.<\/p>\n

\u201cExperts, as well as consumers, have been clear about the consequences of banning flavours and ignoring harm reduction on public health. Time and again it has been proven that flavours are what keeps adults away from switching back to cigarettes and we need our policymakers to listen and legislate for this,\u201d\u00a0<\/em>Landl added.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

Looking to the future, the Commission is in the early stages of updating its Tobacco Products Directive, and it remains to be seen how the vote today will impact that legislation when it comes to vaping.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt is crucial that experts and consumers keep raising their voices. Having harm reduction acknowledged by the European Union\u2019s main elected body is a showcase of the progress we have been able to make. We hope this will be the case with the Commission\u2019s future proposals as well. We will continue to advocate for our members, ensuring their voices are heard as this process moves ahead\u201d,\u00a0<\/em>Michael Landl concluded.<\/p>\n

ENDS<\/p>\n

\u2014<\/p>\n

Press contact:<\/p>\n

Michael Landl<\/p>\n

Director of the World Vapers\u2019 Alliance<\/p>\n

michael@worldvapersalliance.com<\/a><\/p>\n

Notes to editor:<\/p>\n