EU Parliament to Tighten Vaping Regulation due to "Disposable Effect"

Tim Phillips, Tamarind Intelligence's Managing Director, was invited to the webinar held yesterday. Tamarind Intelligence is the publisher of ECigIntelligence and TobaccoIntelligence. 

Tim reveals that members of the European Parliament are less knowledgeable about new nicotine products than in previous years, despite being asked to vote on new legislation concerning these products in the coming months. 

However, the survey also found that MEPs who are more informed about these products are more likely to consider them less harmful than cigarettes. The report indicates that only 19% of MEPs believe new nicotine products are as harmful as smoking, and a majority believe they are less harmful. MEPs with no knowledge of these products are becoming more likely to acknowledge their lack of understanding, with half of those surveyed admitting they don't know the risks. Meanwhile, MEPs with some knowledge of new nicotine products tend to believe they are less harmful than smoking. 

The survey also reveals that more MEPs are unsure about how these products should be regulated than in previous years, although few consider them to be more restricted than traditional tobacco. 

Tim highlights the survey's relevance to the recent launch of the European Commission's public consultation on tobacco control legislation. The survey, which was conducted online and anonymously, received responses from 43 MEPs representing 6% of the European Parliament. All data from the survey remains confidential. More information and data can be found in the survey document.