Experts warn: "Vaping kills" is not just wrong - it can cost lives. ETHRA calls on EU to follow science in new nicotine tax plan.
- The claim that e-cigarettes and other smoke-free alternatives are as harmful as cigarettes lacks any scientific evidence, ETHRA writes in an appeal to the European Commission.
As the European Commission works on a new tax regime for nicotine products, experts and consumer organisations warn against policy decisions that are not based on science. The European Consumer Network ETHRA is now criticising the picture painted in Brussels about vaping and other smokeless nicotine products - warning that uniform taxation can undermine effective tobacco strategies.
EU Commissioner: "Smoking kills, vaping kills"
The statement was made earlier this year by EU Commissioner for Climate Action and Taxation, Wopke Hoekstra, who, during an internal discussion in the Commission's Taxation Committee, equated smoking with the use of e-cigarettes. The statement has caused a stir among consumers, who are now warning that misinformation about the health risks of vaping is spreading among key decision makers in the EU system.
Consumer network: "EU must follow the science"
- The claim that e-cigarettes and other smokeless alternatives are as harmful as cigarettes lacks any scientific evidence. On the contrary, extensive research shows that these products pose a significantly lower risk and are increasingly being used as a substitute for cigarettes - which in practice benefits public health, ETHRA writes in an appeal to the European Commission.
Sweden goes its own way
As the debate about the harms of e-cigarettes rages, the Commission is working to introduce common minimum taxes on nicotine products across the EU. Currently, neither e-liquid nor nicotine pouches are taxed at common EU levels - this is left to the individual member states.
As previously reported in VapeCheckIf the rumoured EU proposals become reality, the Swedish tax on nicotine pouches could increase by up to 500 %. Today, nicotine pouches in Denmark are taxed at around 800 DKK/kg, while Sweden is around 150 DKK/kg. The latest proposal from the EU suggests around 1100 DKK/kg.
Risk of setbacks in tobacco prevention
ETHRA emphasises that the Commission should take into account national differences and existing strategies.
- Unlike many other EU countries, including Hoekstra's home country the Netherlands, Sweden has consciously chosen to promote smokeless nicotine products as a less harmful alternative to smoking. This should be reflected in taxation, the network writes.
According to ETHRA, tax policy should support consumer behaviour that reduces harm - not exacerbate it:
- Smokeless nicotine products, such as vapes, nicotine pouches and heated tobacco, have a significantly lower risk profile than cigarettes. It makes no sense to impose the same taxes on them as combustible tobacco products. It will only lead to more people continuing to smoke, warns ETHRA.
Risk of black market and illegal trade
The revision of the EU Tobacco Tax Directive has been a long time coming, but one of the obstacles has been the fear of growing black market trade in cigarettes - and this concern also applies to smokeless products, says ETHRA.
- A 2020 EU study with over 35,000 participants found that 60 % of e-cigarette users would try to buy their products on the grey or black market if high taxes on vaping were introduced, the organisation writes, adding:
- It is crucial that tax policy takes into account consumer attitudes towards price and accessibility, otherwise we risk pushing millions of people away from safe and regulated alternatives.
Sensational stories cause confusion
Meanwhile, campaigns against smokeless nicotine products are spreading on social media. One example is the story of a young woman who claimed to have 'popcorn lung' after years of vaping. The story originated from a single Instagram profile and has not been documented in any scientific study - yet it was picked up by major European media this spring.
ETHRA warns against using such narratives as a starting point for policy:
- Comparing e-cigarettes and other smokeless products to cigarettes - or even claiming that they are more dangerous - goes against everything we know from research. It is deeply worrying that such notions are gaining ground in the European Commission. We urge Commissioners to reject unscientific claims as a basis for excessive regulation. Otherwise, it could work against public health and keep smokers consuming far more dangerous cigarettes," concludes ETHRA.
Facts: Who is ETHRA?
European Tobacco Harm Reduction Advocates (ETHRA) represents approximately 27 million European users of smokeless nicotine products. The network consists of 24 consumer organisations from 17 EU countries and is supported by scientists, doctors and health policy experts. ETHRA receives no funding from industry players and is non-profit. The appeal to the European Commission can be read in full here:
