Critic: "Danes' new law could affect vejpers across the EU"
The Danish government wants to ban almost all flavours in e-cigarettes and e-liquids. This was made clear after a decision in the Folketing at the end of 2019. But first the law must pass the EU Commission.
Now the organisation ETHRA vejp is calling on people from all over the EU to protest.
"70,000 Danish vejpers are at risk of taking up smoking again. The Danish government intends to ignore a large group of people without considering the consequences" writes ETHRA, the European Tobacco Harm Reduction Association in a press release.
Such as the Road Column previously reported all flavours except menthol and tobacco flavours will be removed from the Danish market. And according to the Danish government, the flavour ban will mainly to prevent young people from starting to use e-cigarettes.
But according to the Danish Wasp Association, DADAFO and ETHRA, the bill is a weak instrument for changing the habits of Danish young people. At least to any great extent.
"Most young people who vejpar are either already smokers or ex-smokers. At best, it prevents 1200 young people from using e-cigarettes each year. The consequence is that 70,000 vejpers go back to smoking again," the organisation writes.
Dogmatic approach to smoking cessation
At the same time, the ban risks driving 90 per cent of all Danish vejp shops into bankruptcy, according to ETHRA. As a result, many adult vejpers will lose a cornerstone of their lives. a successful smoking cessation method. What remains is an uncontrolled black market and the authorities' own recommendations for smoking cessation.
"Danish health authorities have a very dogmatic approach to smoking cessation. It's 'quit or die'. They only recommend nicotine medicines or prescription drugs like Champix and Zyban. Harm-reducing alternatives such as e-cigarettes simply get in the way," ETHRA writes.
Risk of black market for e-cigarettes
E-cigarette users who want to continue using varied flavours will have to shop abroad or turn to the black market, says ETHRA.
"The proposal will force many Danish vejpers to break the law rather than start smoking again," the organisation writes.
Call to write to the European Commission
In May, the EU will hold discussions on the revision of the TPD (Tobacco Products Directive), which governs EU countries' legislation on tobacco and related products. In this context, the Danish bill will also be on the agenda.
The question is whether the Danish flavour ban can be reconciled with the horizontal directives. Although the EU does not currently address flavours in the TPD, ETHRA believes that a few countries need only take the step to amend the directive in the future.
"Finland, Estonia and Hungary already have bans. It is extremely important that associations, companies and consumers, who want to keep the vejpningen as an alternative to cigarettes, react and send their views to the European Commission," ETHRA writes.
