Euractiv is reporting that Greece is preparing a bill to ban all flavored alternative tobacco products, sparing only natural tobacco and mint. Athens has generally opposed both stricter rules for alternative tobacco products and calls to treat them like traditional cigarettes, but according to Euractiv the political case for tougher action is growing. The ban is part of a bill aiming to make it stricter for minors to access alcohol and tobacco products, following incidents of teenagers fainting in a nightclub after consuming excessive alcohol.
The bill is in “final stages of internal consultation,” a source said, though it’s still unclear whether the flavor ban will survive in the final text. Legally, a total ban would need to be approved by the European Commission and could take up to six months.
Analysts in Athens say that the bill is a step in the right direction, largely due to its broader crackdown on underage access to alcohol and tobacco products, however, some government officials outside the health ministry have questioned why the flavor ban is being included in a bill ostensibly focused on protecting minors.
“A total ban doesn’t make sense as it also punishes adult consumers,” an industry source said. They explained that in other countries, such as the UK, flavored products remain on the market and are promoted as tools to help adult smokers quit traditional cigarettes.
Meanwhile, the association of traders of vaping products warned in a letter to the government, seen by Euractiv, that a total ban would result in 400,000 vape users switching to the “uncontrollable” black market.
