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16 February – Brussels. The European Parliament has voted today to adopt Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan as proposed by the Special Committee on Beating Cancer. This is the first time a European institution has publicly acknowledged that vaping plays a vital role in smoking cessation. At the same time, MEPs unfortunately did not rule out future flavour bans despite the fact that flavours are a proven method to quit smoking.
The World Vapers’ Alliance (WVA), representing thousands of vapers voices around Europe, has long called for harm reduction and the use of vaping as a smoking cessation tool to be part of Europe’s Beating Cancer plan during its Back Vaping Beat Smoking campaign.
Commenting on the result of today’s vote, Michael Landl, Director of the World Vapers’ Alliance said:
“Finally, an EU institution acknowledges that vaping helps smokers to quit. That is a significant step forward in our fight to save lives by reducing the harms caused by smoking. It shows the power of the voice of individual consumers coming together. Now it is the Commission’s turn to no longer ignore science and the experience of millions of consumers.”
However, the wording on flavours did not change. MEPs requested the Commission label vaping flavours as “appealing to children” in an effort to ban them.
Carmine Canino, President of ANPVU Italy and WVA Advisory Board member, added:
“Scientists, harm reduction experts as well as consumers have been clear about the negative consequences of banning or even restricting flavours. Again and again research has shown that flavours are essential to reducing smoking among adults. We need our policymakers to listen and act.”
Looking ahead, 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.
“It is crucial that experts and consumers keep raising their voices. It is our hope that the Commission’s future proposals acknowledge harm reduction. We will continue to advocate for our members, ensuring their voices are heard”, Michael Landl concluded.
