Smoke Free Sweden is calling on the European Commission to base regulations on the relative risk of products when reviewing the Tobacco Products Directive. According to experts, excessive restrictions on alternatives could hinder adult smokers from quitting.
The international expert group Smoke Free Sweden is urging the European Union to align the regulation of nicotine products with relative risks during the review of legislation aimed at reducing smoking. In their submission to the European Commission’s public consultation, they highlight that the strictest restrictions should be focused on combustible tobacco products, as these are responsible for the vast majority of smoking-related illnesses and deaths.
According to the organization, smoke-free alternatives—including e-cigarettes, nicotine pouches, and heated tobacco products—should be treated in proportion to their significantly lower harm profile. They warn that excessive restrictions, such as flavor bans or drastic limitations on nicotine content, could drive consumers back to the black market or traditional cigarettes.
Dr. Delon Human, who leads the initiative, also criticized the Commission’s consultation questionnaire, calling it biased for grouping smoke-free products into the same category as traditional cigarettes. The experts emphasize the example of Sweden, where, thanks to the availability of alternatives, they have achieved the lowest smoking and smoking-related illness rates in Europe.
In Brief
- Smoke Free Sweden proposes risk-proportionate regulation for the review of the EU Tobacco Products Directive (TPD).
- The organization argues that strict restrictions should be focused on combustible tobacco products, while the availability of smoke-free alternatives should be ensured.
- Flavor bans and excessive nicotine limits could lead to the strengthening of the black market and a return to smoking.
- They criticize the European Commission’s review questionnaire for blurring the lines between cigarettes and harm-reduction devices.
Source: Planet of The Vapes (planetofthevapes.co.uk)
This summary was prepared by artificial intelligence based on the original article.