25.08.2022 – Brussels, BE – Yesterday, the EU Commission annoncé the registration of a European Citizens’ Initiative (ECI) entitled ‘Call to achieve a tobacco-free environment and the first European tobacco-free generation by 2030’.

Les organisateurs, une ONG espagnole de santé publique appelée NoFumadores, proposent d'interdire la vente de tabac et de produits nicotinés à tous les citoyens nés après 2010.

Michael Landl, directeur de l'Alliance mondiale des vapoteurs, a déclaré :

“Cette initiative met en lumière la désinformation généralisée concernant les différents produits nicotinés. Il est impossible d'appliquer une solution unique à des produits aussi différents. La quasi-totalité des méfaits du tabagisme provient des milliers d'autres substances chimiques présentes dans la fumée de tabac, et non de la nicotine. Les alternatives comme le vapotage sont, quant à elles, nettement moins nocives. moins nocif et sont prouvés méthodes efficaces pour arrêter de fumer. ” L’interdiction ne fera que coûter des vies. »

Par ailleurs, l'Alliance mondiale des vapoteurs s'interroge sur la faisabilité d'une interdiction de vente liée à l'année de naissance des citoyens :

“How should this work in practice? In a few years, shops would have to check the IDs of 50-year-olds. This will not work. Those rules will be ignored, or they will generate a massive black market. Both outcomes are detrimental to public health. Aside from impracticality, generational bans may be illegal in Europe as they stand against an equal and fair treatment of EU citizens – a pillar of the Lisbon Treaty. Moreover, it is morally wrong to deny harm reduction to younger generations. Instead of stigmatising smokers, we need to give them all opportunities to quit smoking once and for all,” added Landl.

The organisers now have six months to collect one million signatures from at least seven different Member States to force the EU Commission to react to the proposal. The registration of the ECI is not an endorsement by the Commission. Still, with the Tobacco Products Directive on the horizon, vapers are calling on the Commission to follow a risk-based approach for each product.

“The registration of this initiative shows that the pressure from anti-harm reduction groups on EU institutions is increasing. This is not a good sign regarding the upcoming Tobacco Products Directive update. Future regulation must be based on science and the experience of millions of consumers. Less harmful products must be treated differently than cigarettes. Prohibition never worked and will never work. It just creates massive unintended consequences and harms public health. The exact opposite of what we all want,” added Michael Landl.