The New Nicotine Alliance and the European Tobacco Harm Reduction Advocacy Organization (ETHRA) have responded to the Dutch government's threat to use e-cigarettes. ETHRA has submitted an opinion to the Dutch government on amending the Tobacco and Related Products Regulations, while the New Nicotine Alliance has issued a call to e-cigarette users in the UK through a charity organization.
ETHRA is an alliance made up of 25 grassroots consumer organizations from 17 European countries, representing the voice of 27 million EU consumers for safer nicotine products. Its submitted documents indicate that this is a voluntary action with no industry funding or conflicts of interest.
According to ETHRA, the proposed amendment aims to protect public health by reducing the appeal of electronic cigarettes to the general public, especially young people, as outlined in the Integrated Assessment Framework (IAK) for policies and regulations. This has raised serious concerns as the amendment would effectively ban the use of electronic cigarette products.
The consequences of banning the most popular and effective smoking cessation tool for adults will have a negative impact on public health. Smoking rates are expected to increase, particularly among middle-aged and elderly individuals who are most at risk for smoking-related health hazards. It will also destroy the legal e-cigarette industry in the Netherlands, with a predicted growth in the underground market.
It emphasizes:
The amendment actually has serious flaws in its reasoning for banning e-cigarette oil. E-cigarettes are a successful tool in quitting smoking, and the variety of flavors is crucial to the success of e-cigarette products. A flavor ban could lead to widespread behavior reactions. The e-cigarette ban could actually stimulate an increase in smoking among young people, and there is no evidence to suggest that e-cigarette products act as a "gateway".
The European Tobacco Harm Reduction Advocates (ETHRA) stated that while they support the Netherlands' ambitious goals to reduce smoking rates, they caution against the potential unintended consequences of banning flavored e-cigarettes. ETHRA argues that policymakers must recognize that flavored e-cigarettes are direct competitors to traditional cigarettes and that prohibiting or significantly restricting such competition may not only protect the cigarette trade but also encourage smoking.
The New Nicotine Alliance has urged UK e-cigarette users to lend assistance and remarked that "this proposal goes further than any flavour ban in other countries." The US National Institute for Public Health and Environment and Department of Health have listed 16 "approved" substances that can be used in the manufacture of tobacco-flavoured e-cigarette liquids. This effectively means a ban on all e-cigarette liquids as no current liquids on the market, including tobacco flavours, would be allowed and only new flavours using the approved substances could be developed.
The charity added: "Although we currently have reasonable regulations in place in the UK regarding flavouring, the upcoming revision of the EU Tobacco Products Directive may have an impact on its drafting, given developments in the Netherlands. While the UK has now left the EU, as we have previously emphasized, politicians are influenced by events in other countries and this may put pressure on UK lawmakers to follow suit. It is also worth noting Clive Bates' remarks at our online seminar in June 2020.
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