{"id":612,"date":"2021-11-15T18:17:42","date_gmt":"2021-11-15T23:17:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cccwva.wpengine.com\/?p=612"},"modified":"2022-05-17T08:56:46","modified_gmt":"2022-05-17T12:56:46","slug":"the-voices-of-vapers-arrive-at-meps-front-door","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/worldvapersalliance.com\/eu\/the-voices-of-vapers-arrive-at-meps-front-door\/","title":{"rendered":"The Voices of Vapers Arrive at MEPs Front Door"},"content":{"rendered":"

BRUSSELS, Nov. 15, 2021 \/PRNewswire via COMTEX\/<\/strong> \u00a0\u2014 The voices of vapers, and their personal stories about how vaping helped them quit smoking and change their lives for the better, were broadcast across Brussels today to encourage European leaders to support pro-vaping policies.<\/p>\n

Driving through Brussels in the iconic electric pink \u2018Vape Bus\u2019, the World Vapers\u2019 Alliance (WVA), representing vapers worldwide, displayed a powerful selection of quit stories from around Europe. The collection of stories from individual ex-smokers was gathered as part of the Back Vaping. Beat Smoking campaign, which travelled across Europe throughout 2021.<\/p>\n

The demonstration brought these messages from across Europe directly to Members of the European Parliament (MEPs), who are currently debating the Beating Cancer plan which may set the direction for anti-smoking policies across Europe.<\/p>\n

Michael Landl, Director of the World Vapers\u2019 Alliance, said:<\/p>\n

\u201cThe next few weeks will be crucial for smokers, vapers and public health in general with Europe\u2019s Beating Cancer Plan being finalised. We came here today to make sure that vapers\u2019 voices are heard and that the MEPs understand the real-life stories of people who have been able to quit smoking thanks to vaping.<\/p>\n

European policymakers\u00a0have the opportunity to make history and save lives if they back vaping as a tool to beat smoking. Our message to them is clear: choose science and save lives,\u201d\u00a0he added.<\/p>\n

19 million smokers in Europe could switch to vaping, an alternative that is 95% less harmful, if the European Parliament would support harm reduction tools, such as vaping, in all their future legislation, including Europe\u2019s Beating Cancer Plan.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere is a risk that European lawmakers \u2013 under pressure from anti-vaping activists \u2013 will introduce laws that would treat vaping the exact same as smoking. This would spell disaster for vapers, for smokers and for global public health. The best way we can beat smoking is to promote vaping as part of public health policies,\u201d\u00a0Michael Landl concluded.<\/p>\n

Notes to editor:<\/p>\n