EU Tobacco Products Directive Proposal Could Ban Most E-Cigarette Products

On June 8, reports emerged that the Independent European Vape Alliance (IEVA) expressed concerns over the European Commission's recent report on the Tobacco Products Directive (TPD), indicating potential further restrictions on e-cigarettes.

According to IEVA, the effect of the committee's proposal would be to ban most e-cigarette products currently on the market.

In a press release, the organization stated that while the committee is careful not to say it outright, its proposal would effectively ban most e-cigarette products available today. It suggests amending all unreasonable restrictions from the last TPD, removing most flavors, and banning many commonly used devices. EU e-cigarette users would lose most of the products they currently use to stay away from cigarettes. According to the committee's own data, a flavor ban alone would eliminate two-thirds of the current e-cigarette market.

IEVA stated that the report fails to acknowledge the concept of harm reduction.

IEVA wrote that the report does not recognize any evidence regarding the relative risks of e-cigarettes and smoking. Despite member state governments conducting campaigns to encourage smokers to switch to e-cigarettes, such as the "Je choisis la vapotage" ("I choose vaping") anti-smoking campaign launched by Sante Publique France, which clearly states that e-cigarette products can be used without incurring short-term health risks. The committee must consider the best practices in the EU rather than ignore them.

IEVA noted that some recommendations in the report regarding e-cigarettes could lead to more young people smoking.

"Shortly after this report was published, Yale University released the first real-world study on the impact of flavor bans on youth smoking rates," IEVA said. "In San Francisco, flavored e-cigarette products were banned in 2018. Since then, the smoking rate among high school students in that area has doubled compared to regions without a ban, even after adjusting for demographics and other tobacco policies. This study was funded by the FDA's Center for Tobacco Products and had no industry involvement."

IEVA stated that the report does not adequately address the real enemy of public health—smoking.

IEVA wrote that while the committee does question whether the nicotine threshold for e-cigarette products should be lowered, it has ignored calls from Members of the European Parliament to adjust the methods for measuring tar, nicotine, and carbon monoxide levels in cigarette smoke. This policy combination would ensure that cigarettes provide more nicotine—an addictive substance—than e-cigarette products. While there have been no reports of deaths from using products regulated by the TPD in Europe, smoking causes half of all regular users' deaths.