Millions of ex-smokers have already witnessed firsthand the transformative power of vaping in helping smokers quit their deadly habit. Just as we’re on the verge of a major breakthrough in public health, the European Union seems intent on sabotaging this progress.

Last week, the World Vapers’ Alliance (WVA) delivered over 100,000 signatures to the European Parliament, each representing a citizen who understands what Brussels apparently does not: vaping saves lives. Our protest, complete with a giant banner and symbolic delivery boxes from all 27 EU member states was a plea from consumers across Europe who fear that their path to a smoke-free life is about to be obliterated by misguided regulations.

The EU’s current trajectory is alarming. Discussions around flavour bans, restrictions on nicotine pouches, outdoor vaping prohibitions, and increased taxation on reduced-risk products threaten to undo years of progress in tobacco harm reduction. These potential policies aren’t just short-sighted; they’re dangerous.

Let’s be clear: flavours in e-cigarettes are not a frivolous indulgence. They are a crucial tool in helping smokers transition away from combustible tobacco.Research shows that vapers who use flavoured e-liquids are more than two times more likely to quit smoking than those using tobacco-flavoured alternatives. By considering a ban on flavours, the EU is effectively cutting off a vital escape route for millions of smokers.

The irony is palpable. While Sweden stands on the brink of becoming Europe’s first smoke-free nation thanks to its progressive approach to harm reduction, the rest of the EU seems intent on moving backwards. At the current rate, the EU won’t reach its smoke-free goal until 2100 – a staggering 60-year delay that will cost countless lives.

Moreover, the proposed tax increases on vaping products are a slap in the face to lower-income smokers who are trying to quit. In times of economic uncertainty, making safer alternatives more expensive is not just poor policy – it’s cruel. It will inevitably push people back to smoking or drive them to the dangerous black market.

The EU Commission claims these measures will improve public health, but the reality is the exact opposite. If we truly want to reduce the burden of smoking on public health, we must make vaping more affordable and accessible, not less.

The proposed ban on nicotine pouches is yet another misguided step in the EU’s flawed approach to harm reduction. Like the ill-conceived flavour bans and excessive taxation on vaping products, prohibiting nicotine pouches ignores the overwhelming evidence of their effectiveness in helping smokers quit. Sweden’s success story, where nicotine pouches have played a crucial role in achieving record-low smoking rates, is a testament to their potential. By considering a ban on this innovative and far less harmful alternative, the EU risks repeating the same mistake it made with the snus ban, denying millions of smokers across Europe access to a proven tool for quitting.

It’s time for the EU to embrace tobacco harm reduction fully. We need risk-based regulation that recognizes vaping, pouches and similar products are substantially less harmful than smoking. We need policies that empower consumers to make healthier choices, not restrict their options.

The 100,000 signatures we delivered represent just a fraction of the millions of Europeans who have successfully quit smoking thanks to vaping. Their voices, and their health, matter. It’s time for Brussels to listen.

The choice is clear: we can embrace harm reduction and save lives, or we can cling to failed prohibitionist policies and watch as smoking rates stagnate or even rise. The 100,000 citizens who signed our petition have made their choice. Now it’s time for the EU to make theirs.

Originally published here