This week all of the members of the European Parliament will vote on Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan. The report proposed by the BECA committee reflects months of work and successfully includes the voices of those affected. In its current shape, it would make a positive change in the lives of millions of Europeans.

Of course it is not perfect. While the proposed regulation is a significant step forward in our fight to save lives by reducing the harms caused by smoking, flavours are still being discriminated against. The latest version of the file fails to recognize that flavours are what keeps adults away from switching back to cigarettes.

Before the final vote though, some anti-harm reduction MEPs filed last-minute amendments that would jeopardise the achieved progress in regards to tackling tobacco-related cancer. Heléne Fritzon, Alessandra Moretti, Nicolás González Casares representing S&D want to legislate that vaping should be “strictly regulated to ensure the maximum protection of public health” and “should not be promoted as a cessation aid”. This is surprisingly regressive for members of the party that goes by the name of “Progressives” and clearly clashes with the first-hand experiences of many European ex-smokers.

MEPs should remember that supporting any changes to the report that would ban or limit vaping, or treat reduced harm alternatives in the same manner as smoking would be a major mistake. In Europe alone, over 19 million lives could be saved if policy-makers were open to the harm reduction approach.

Some of the MEPs get it – additional amendments were put in place by Pietro Fiocchi, Margarita de la Pisa Carrión and Andrey Slabakov of the ECR they call for lower duties for the reduced harm products, due to “the latest scientific studies on the health effects associated with electronic cigarettes”.

The World Vapers’ Alliance will keep an eye on the upcoming debate for all of the Europeans in our community. All of the MEPs will take part in the discussion this week, so do not hesitate to contact your local representative to let them know that this issue is important to you.

On Twitter the initiators of the restrictive amendments can be found here: @fritzon_h, @ale_moretti, @nicogoncas Let them know why they should Back Vaping to Beat Smoking.