International Vaping Group Urges EU to Include Vaping in Anti-Cancer Strategy

On November 29, according to Vapingpost, the World Vapers' Alliance (WVA) launched a new campaign last September urging EU policymakers to include vaping devices in the EU's Beating Cancer strategy.
 
As is well known, smoking is one of the main causes of cancer, and cancer is the second leading cause of death in Europe. About 90% of lung cancer cases could be prevented simply by eliminating tobacco use. In fact, Sweden has the lowest smoking rate in Europe because snus is widely used there as an alternative to cigarettes, and Sweden also has the lowest incidence of lung cancer in continental Europe.

EU Health Commissioner Stella Kyriakides is committed to developing a Europe Beating Cancer Plan to reduce cancer incidence and improve Europe's response to the disease. A 2017 study published in BMJ Tobacco Control indicated that the cancer risk associated with vaping devices is 1% of that of traditional cigarettes.

Given the relative safety of vaping devices, WVA Director Michael Landl called on European institutions to encourage their use. In Europe, smoking is a leading cause of cancer, and vaping devices have helped hundreds of thousands of smokers quit smoking completely. He said: “We want to see policymakers introduce vaping devices into the EU Beating Cancer Plan to ensure that millions of Europeans can benefit from a successful and effective smoking cessation method.”

The WVA campaign encourages European vapers to help cigarette users quit smoking by sharing their success stories, thereby helping them defeat cancer. European vaping users are also encouraged to contact their elected representatives in the hope of influencing policy change.

There are clear signs that most European citizens support the idea of including vaping devices in the EU Beating Cancer Plan. A data analysis by Italian think tank I-Com showed that, in the public consultation on the plan, one in six respondents supported including harm-reduction tools.

“By supporting vaping devices and including them in the EU Beating Cancer Plan, the European Commission will acknowledge the voice of European citizens and send a clear message that it will do everything possible to defeat cancer once and for all,” Landl added.