ETHRA’s monthly roundup of news: SANT Committee elects Chair - PQ on vape dangers - ZYN granted marketing order - Belgian ban - TRIS notifications open for comments - UK Tobacco and Vapes Bill coverage - Fixing the PMTA process - The importance of flavours - Michael Siegel interview. Read on for more.
Contents:
SANT Committee
The European Parliament’s Public Health Committee (SANT) has elected Adam Jarubas (EPP) as its Chair. Tilly Metz (Greens/EPA), Stine Bosse (Renew), Romana Jerković (S&D), and Emmanouil Fragkos (ECR) have been elected co-chairs.
Read more here:
https://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/en/press-room/20250123IPR26451/parliament-s-public-health-committee-begins-work
Parliamentary Question on vapes
Saskia Bricmont MEP (Verts/ALE) submitted questions to the Commission on the potential danger vapes could pose to consumers.
https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/E-10-2024-002345_EN.html
Unfortunately, the response from the Commission won’t come as a surprise to anyone informed about the state of THR in the EU.
https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/E-10-2024-002345-ASW_EN.html
ZYN marketing orders granted
The US Food and Drug Administration has authorised the marketing of 20 ZYN Nicotine Pouch Products after Extensive Scientific Review.
Read more here:
https://www.fda.gov/news-events/press-announcements/fda-authorizes-marketing-20-zyn-nicotine-pouch-products-after-extensive-scientific-review
Belgium
Belgium has become the first EU member state to ban single-use disposable vapes.
Read more here:
https://filtermag.org/ban-disposable-vapes-belgium-eu/
Finland
Vapers Finland submitted their comment to the government on a proposed bill which would severely limit flavours in nicotine pouches.
Read the statement here:
Vapers Finland ry:n lausunto hallituksen lakiesitykseen nikotiinipussien makuainesääntelystä / Vapers Finland Association's statement on the government's bill on regulating flavors in nicotine pouches
Germany
Addiction specialist Stefanie Bötsch criticised the government ban on nicotine pouches and stated that proper regulation is always a better idea.
Read more here:
https://www.deutschlandfunk.de/suchtexpertin-boetsch-staatliche-regulierung-von-nikotinbeuteln-waere-besser-als-ein-verbot-100.html
Latvia
On Jan. 1, Latvia became the ninth European country to ban flavoured vapes. The new law also limits nicotine content in nicotine pouches to 4 mg/g (a level considered too low by most pouch consumers), and prohibits vapes and other nicotine products that resemble candy or toys.
Read more here:
https://vaping360.com/vape-news/8329/latvia-is-9th-european-country-to-ban-flavored-vapes/
Luxembourg
A TRIS notification is open for comments until 10 March. The proposed legislative change aims to reduce the nicotine content of pouches to 0.048mg per pouch, which would effectively ban the products.
See TRIS and add your comments here:
https://technical-regulation-information-system.ec.europa.eu/en/notification/26481
Poland
The Polish Government will adopt a new Bill which will ban the sale of non-nicotine containing vapes and nicotine pouches to under 18’s.
Read more here:
https://www.polsatnews.pl/wiadomosc/2025-01-21/papierosy-elektroniczne-nie-dla-nieletnich-rzad-zapowiada-rewolucje/
Spain
The Ministry of Health has notified the European Commission, through the TRIS Notification System, of its intention to introduce a Royal Decree which would ban vape flavours, nicotine pouches, and limit the nicotine content of e-liquid to 15mg/ml. The lower nicotine limit was not part of the Draft Royal Decree which we reported in November. TRIS is open for comments until 28 April.
Read more here:
https://www.infolibre.es/politica/sanidad-retira-ahora-empaquetado-generico-tabaco-asegura-incluira-norma_1_1935453.html
https://x.com/anesvap/status/1883919992099594706
Add your comments to TRIS:
https://technical-regulation-information-system.ec.europa.eu/en/notification/26624
UK
Planet of the Vapes provides coverage of the Tobacco and Vapes Bill in the House of Parliament.
Fixing the PMTA process
Clive Bates has written a report explaining what President Trump needs to do to fix the ‘broken and lawless’ tobacco and nicotine market.
Read the report here:
https://clivebates.com/documents/FixingThePMTAJan2025.pdf
Electronic cigarettes and subsequent cigarette smoking in young people
A systematic review which includes 126 studies has found that youth vaping and smoking are inversely related, as more young people vape, fewer smoke, and vice versa.
Read more here:
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/add.16773
The importance of flavours
A recent analysis of the 2022 International Tobacco Control Four Country Smoking and Vaping Survey found that 68% of Canadian adults who attempted to quit smoking used flavours that would be prohibited under Health Canada’s flavour restrictions proposal.
Something to watch:
“Public health’s war on vaping didn’t start with vaping—it began decades ago with secondhand smoke. The same deceptive tactics now target tobacco harm reduction. How did it begin, and where does it lead? Don’t miss this special two-part episode featuring renowned tobacco control expert Dr. Michael Siegel.”
