The Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety (ENVI) is the European Parliament Committee which is responsible for public health. The Committee met on the 18th of February and on their agenda was item 16, an exchange of views with the Commission on e-cigarettes and heated tobacco products. Damian Sweeney, New Nicotine Alliance Ireland trustee, gives his account of proceedings, how much (or little) our MEP’s know about tobacco harm reduction and whether or not THR advocates should be worried.
ETHRA is pleased to welcome some promising news from Norway.
The Norwegian government has declared that it will lift its ban on e-cigarettes with nicotine and replace it with an authorisation system as it belatedly moves to implement the EU’s Tobacco Products Directive (TPD). Manufacturers of e-cigarettes and new tobacco products will have to apply for authorisation at least six months before they intend to put their product on the market, as the TPD requires. The government is also planning to allow e-cigarettes and refill containers to be advertised at the point of sale and be presented online neutrally, unlike cigarettes.