Press release
Europe-wide consumer organisation launches manifesto on behalf of millions of former smokers
- European Tobacco Harm Reduction Advocates (ETHRA) – comprised of 21 consumer associations in 16 European countries – today launches a manifesto declaring the rights of safer nicotine users in Europe
- The manifesto is on behalf of 27 million grass roots consumers across Europe who have quit smoking using safer products such as e-cigarettes and snus
- The ETHRA Manifesto calls on policymakers to recognise the benefits of tobacco harm reduction in advance of World No Tobacco Day
Many thanks to Ingmar Kurg for this article about the good news coming out of Estonia this week.
Amendments passed in the Estonian Parliament on 4 May will allow menthol flavoured e-liquids and heated tobacco products to be sold.
The Bill had been initiated by the government and attracted a raft of amendments from MPs, who recognise the importance of introducing tobacco harm reduction policies.
Last year the sale of all flavoured e-liquid (with the exception of tobacco flavour and flavourless) was banned in Estonia. Monday’s decision to allow menthol flavours to be sold is a small but important step towards recognising the importance of less harmful nicotine products and supporting smokers as they transition away from the taste of tobacco. As menthol will be banned in conventional cigarettes later this month, the availability of menthol e-liquids will also provide an alternative for smokers who like the taste of menthol.
Read more: Estonia takes the first steps towards recognising tobacco harm reduction
*** UPDATE 16 DECEMBER 2020 ***
Yesterday we learned that the Danish Parliament voted to adopt the the Bill amending the Act on the ban on tobacco advertising etc. This will see most e-liquid flavours banned, plain packaging for vaping products and display and advertising bans. For updates please follow DADAFO on Facebook, here
*** UPDATE 28 SEPTEMBER 2020 ***
Danish media reported yesterday that the flavour ban proposals had been indefinitely postponed but then today issued a correction, saying that:
"The Ministry of Health has subsequently stated that it considers that e-cigarettes are not covered by the Commission's opinion. The Ministry is therefore continuing to work on banning e-cigarettes with flavor as of April 1, 2021.
At the same time, the Ministry considers that the Commission's opinion covers the planned ban on hookah tobacco and flavored chewing tobacco, which is therefore postponed immediately"
see: EU bremser dansk tiltag mod rygning, Jyllands-Posten
Also see: Le gouvernement Danois ajourne la prohibition du vapotage aromatisé [MàJ] ou pas ? from Vapolitique
Read more: If you tolerate this then YOUR flavours will be next
With the onset of COVID-19, governments around the world are frantically trying to put measures in place to deal with the greatest crisis we have faced in a generation. In many countries all but non-essential businesses have been shut, mass gatherings have been banned, countries have closed their borders and strict travel restrictions have been put in place. These measures, together with social distancing, are vital to ensure we ‘flatten the curve’ and slow down the spread of the virus, but they have also presented some challenges and had unintended consequences of their own.
Read more: Finland: Consumers demand access to snus during COVID-19 restrictions