On Tuesday 22 March, the government will its proposal for a flavour ban for electronic cigarettes to Parliament. To mark the occasion, Vejpkollen is organising an event to highlight the importance of flavours for vejp users.
In addition to Swedish vejpers, entrepreneurs and activists, the international action group is also present. World Vapers Alliance.
"The flavour ban in Sweden risks driving 150,000 e-cigarette users back to smoking. We want to draw attention to this with this action" says Michael Landlwho heads the World Vapers Alliance.
Vape bus through Europe
The World Vapers Alliance has attracted attention through repeated actions in Europe over the past year. Among other things, by visiting a number of cities with a pink vape bus under the slogan "Back vaping - Beat smoking". The aim then was to raise awareness, but also to get vejpers to tell their stories and draw attention to politicians. However, the campaign never reached Sweden.
"We are now focusing on the 'Flavours matter' campaign. The message is that a variety of flavours is crucial for adult vejpers to stay smoke-free. We are calling for politicians to stop banning flavours and for those that do exist to be changed or repealed altogether," said Michael Landl.
Getting into trouble
The World Vapor Alliance was founded and is funded through Consumer Choice Centre - an advocacy organisation that lobbies for free consumer choice and a free market. The Consumer Choice Center receives contributions from various companies and trade associations. Even some tobacco companies. This has put Michael Landl and WVA in the spotlight. Not least when other interest organisations accuse WVA of being a front for the tobacco industry.
"It is what it is, and I understand that it may cause a stir," says Mr Perez. Michael Landl. "But we act independently, autonomously and make our own decisions. I think the goal is the important one, and that is to save lives. Taping as a phenomenon is under attack from many sides and we want to do everything we can to preserve it. And that requires funding," says Michael Landl to Vejpkollen.
"Empowering the voices of vejps"
The organisation encourages local consumer organisations to join the network that WVA is building. Currently, WVA has support organisations in several countries, including Australia (where nicotine-containing e-liquid is prohibited for purchase without a doctor's prescription), Italy and Germany. The aim, according to the WVA, is to "strengthen vejp voices in the world" and to be a platform to help e-cigarette users reach into the corridors of politics.
80 million vejpers in the world
Michael Landl has previously worked on policy and political issues in the German Parliament. He regularly writes articles for the American magazine Filter, Vaporound and often debates issues related to e-cigarettes and vape. 1TP9 Training from an EU perspective, for example in The Brussels Times.
"Together, we are over 80 million people vejping worldwide. This is amazing and proof that the technology works. Vaping is 95 per cent safer than smoking. But it is the flavours that are crucial to successfully quitting smoking, as all former smokers who now vejpar know. Flavour bans like the one in Sweden risk being a disaster for public health" says Michael Landl.
