EU Climate Commissioner Wopke Hoekstra accused the tobacco industry of recycling old tactics, comparing claims that vapes are less harmful than cigarettes to past efforts promoting “light” cigarettes.
“They mislead policymakers about the risks of these new products, just as they did with light cigarettes in the past,” Hoekstra wrote on LinkedIn, saying that nicotine in alternative products also damages blood vessels, impairs vascular function, and stimulates tumor growth.
His comments come as the European Commission prepares its first assessment of the health effects of new tobacco and nicotine products, with a focus on preventing youth uptake. Hoekstra has also pushed for higher taxation, backing the proposed Tobacco Excise Duty Own Resource (TEDOR), which could contribute €11.2 billion annually to the EU budget by taking 15% of member states’ tobacco tax revenues.
However, the plan faces resistance as 14 countries, including Italy, Greece, and Sweden, have already voiced opposition.