Vape advocates are ready to take on the might of the WHO and its World No Tobacco Day, with the launch of a European vaping manifesto.
The manifesto declares the ‘rights‘ of all safer nicotine product users and says tobacco harm reduction – THR – is a human right.
It’s a timely release given vaping is under threat not just around the globe, but also closer to home on mainland Europe.
I’ve written about the threat to vaping in Denmark – where zealous politicians want to ban flavours – and most recently Holland, where tough new vape legislation could be imposed.
The World Health Organization appears to be eying Europe as its next battle ground to as they put it ‘defeat e-cigarettes‘.
I covered this in more detail the article: WHO Praising Harsh Vape Regulations – Applauds Finland’s Tough Approach.
Incidentally the WHO has just released a European based ‘brief‘ on electronic cigarettes as it persists in calling them – I’ll be taking a look at that later in the week.
OK, so what’s this European vaping manifesto all about – let’s take a look.
European Vaping Manifesto – What Is It?
It’s the brain-child of the European Tobacco Harm Reduction Advocates [ETHRA] and it isn’t just about vaping.
That advocacy group is made up of 21 consumer associations in 16 European countries and each has played a part in getting the manifesto written.
There are approximately 27 million users of safer nicotine products – e-cigarettes and Snus – in Europe, and this European vaping manifesto is designed to protect those products – which are most definitely under sustained threat.
The manifesto has 6 points it wants ‘policy makers‘ to consider:
- 1. Access to harm reduction, including tobacco harm reduction, must be recognized as a human right.
- 2. Consumers of safer nicotine products must be recognized as essential stakeholders in discussions of policy.
- 3. Regulation for safer nicotine products must reflect the risks relative to the risks from smoking.
- 4. Regulators must recognize that having a wide choice of products and flavours is key to the success of safer nicotine products in enabling people to stop smoking.
- 5. Regulation must consider the harm to adults when considering bans intended to protect youth.
- 6. Tax policy must take into account that high taxation of safer nicotine products increases rates of smoking.
All fantastic points for sure.
Let’s hope the ‘policy makers’ sit up and listen.
Vaping Under Threat In Europe
ETHRA says there is a definite ‘mission creep‘ to all out vape and flavour bans across Europe, as well as draconian new legislation.
Rob de Lange of ACVODA, a Dutch consumer association and partner of ETHRA, said:
Regulators should be aware of the overwhelmingly beneficial effect of reduced risk nicotine products to attract smokers away from lit tobacco.
Smoking rates in countries which regulate alternative nicotine products sensibly have collapsed, yet consumers are constantly fighting against public health organisations who seem to favour an ill-informed precautionary approach which can only perpetuate smoking and protect the most harmful nicotine delivery system of all, the cigarette.
Peter Stigaard, of Danish consumer association DADAFO said:
Tobacco harm reduction has been an unprecedented success story in enlightened European states, yet the EU and the WHO appear eager to wind back the clock and impose harsh and ill-conceived restrictions on products which are saving lives.
Crazy but true!
As I said, let’s hope this new European vaping manifesto reaches the politicians and policy makers that matter.
And let’s hope, they not only back off the bans and harsh legislation around vaping and safer nicotine products – but welcome the overall good to world health vaping brings.
The European vaping manifesto is available in 14 languages – check it out HERE.
Checkout the website to find out more about the work of ETHRA and how to join or offer support.
