World Vapers Alliance - Tobacco Reporter

Finland: Smoke-Free Tax Plans Draw Fire

The Finnish government’s recent proposal to increase taxes on nicotine pouches and vape liquids has drawn criticism from the World Vapers’ Alliance (WVA). The current plan would increase the price of one nicotine pouch box by approximately €2.50 ($2.74).

This move, which aims to bring smokeless nicotine products under tobacco taxation, is a significant step backwards in harm reduction efforts, according to the consumer group.

“Finland’s plan to increase taxes on less harmful nicotine alternatives is deeply concerning. Not only does this reduce the price differential between deadly cigarettes and safer alternatives, but it also directly undermines public health goals. By making products like nicotine pouches and vape liquids more expensive, we risk discouraging smokers from switching to these less harmful alternatives,” said WVA Director Michael Landl in a statement.

The proposal, which seeks to amend the law on tobacco taxation, will encompass smoke-free nicotine products, including nicotine pouches and vape liquids. The WVA warns that such tax increases will disproportionately impact low-income groups, who statistically exhibit higher smoking rates.

“Imposing higher taxes on harm reduction products hits the most vulnerable groups the hardest. These are the same groups with the highest smoking rates. Instead of providing them with affordable alternatives to quit smoking, the government is pushing them back to the more harmful habit. This move by the Finnish government is a step in the wrong direction that ignores public health benefits and deepens social inequalities,” said Landl.

The WVA suggested that the Finnish lawmakers don’t need to look far for successful examples of harm reduction. Sweden is on track to become the first smoke-free country because of its progressive harm reduction policies. Earlier this year, Sweden announced a program of lowering tax on snus and nicotine pouches while significantly raising cigarette tax.

November 20, 2023

Vapers Cheer EU Recognition of E-cigs as Possible Quit Aid

The EU’s Subcommittee on Public Health (SANT) has endorsed the potential role of vaping in supporting smoking cessation, according to the World Vapers’ Alliance (WVA).

Parliament’s report on non-communicable diseases acknowledges that vaping is a way for smokers to gradually quit.

“Parliament’s recognition that vaping can help smokers quit is a step in the right direction,” said WVA Director Michael Landl. “With the well-documented success of vaping as a smoking cessation aid, it’s crucial for the EU to fully embrace this tool within its strategy to reduce smoking-related illnesses. Vaping not only offers a way out for smokers but is instrumental in achieving public health goals.”

Despite this recognition, the WVA views the report’s proposal to extend smoking bans to vaping as problematic.

“Treating vaping the same as smoking in public spaces sends the wrong message to smokers who want to quit,” said Landl. “There is no evidence of harm from secondhand vaping. The Subcommittee must reconsider the broader impact, including the risk of former smokers relapsing. A more thoughtful regulatory approach based on common sense is imperative to ensure that vaping remains a viable option for those committed to quitting cigarettes.”

The WVA believes that for the EU to significantly lower smoking rates and effectively tackle NCDs, supportive measures for harm reduction strategies like vaping must be integrated into public health policies.

November 8, 2023

Activists Slam Report

The World Health Organization’s recently published report on the global tobacco “pandemic” discounts the impact of harm reduction and vaping, according to Michael Landl, director of the World Vapers’ Alliance

“While filled with biased anti-vaping scaremongering and unfounded claims, the report’s overall direction is perplexing. Instead of prioritizing the crucial goal of reducing smoking rates, the WHO is directing its focus on vaping, which happens to be the most potent smoking cessation tool available.”

In the report’s foreword, Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus asserts that vaping would undermine anti-smoking efforts, claiming that e-cigarettes are harmful to both the people using them and those around them.

“Regrettably, the WHO appears to ignore reality and scientific evidence,” said Landl in a statement. “Countries that adopt an open and consumer-friendly approach to harm reduction products achieve significantly better results than those following WHO’s misguided path. Comparative data from Sweden and the United Kingdom demonstrate their remarkable success in reducing smoking rates, surpassing countries with a negative harm reduction approach by a wide margin.”

The WHO report also claims a gateway effect from vaping to smoking and alleges that vaping flavors target children. It further highlights that 121 countries have adopted vaping regulations, with 34 completely banning vape sales.

“The outdated and debunked theories propagated by the WHO report pose risks to public health,” said Landl. “The notion of a gateway effect from vaping to smoking lacks evidence. Furthermore, flavors are essential for adults as they play a crucial role in helping millions of smokers transition to vaping. Additionally, celebrating countries which ban a way less harmful alternative for smokers is absurd.”

According to a review of 15 studies, “a true gateway effect in youths has not yet been demonstrated,” according to Landl. Factors such as anxiety, parental smoking habits, peer attitudes and household income must be considered, he noted. Another study found that vaping is not a gateway to smoking but rather that negative circumstances in teenagers’ lives lead to risky behaviors. According to the Yale School of Public Health, vaping flavored e-cigarettes is linked to a 230 percent increase in adult smoking cessation, and a flavor ban, as suggested by the WHO, could drive five out of 10 vapers back to smoking or the black market.

“The lack of empathy for smokers and vapers, coupled with the outright denial of scientific findings, will have severe consequences for many lives,” said Landl. “The WHO seems to have lost sight of its ultimate goal – reducing smoking rates. While we all agree that teenagers should not smoke or vape, the report notes that only 45 percent of countries ban e-cigarette sales to minors, and 10 percent of countries impose no age restrictions on cigarette purchases. Why not address these real-life challenges? The WHO systematically disregards an abundance of scientific evidence supporting the benefits of vaping, not to mention the experiences of millions of vapers. Vaping is 95 percent less harmful than smoking and a more effective method to quit smoking compared to traditional products like gum and patches. Restricting or banning access to vaping will only lead to unnecessary loss of lives.”

August 1, 2023

Campaign for Harm Reduction in Strasbourg

As a kickoff for the #BackVapingBeatSmoking campaign, representatives of the World Vapers Alliance (WVA) presented Members of the European Parliament in Strasbourg with a “Vaping Products Directive” to show how e-cigarettes need to be treated to fulfill their potential as tobacco harm reduction tools.

The campaign launches as European legislators review the Tobacco Products Directive. Responding to the EU Commission’s public call for evidence, the WVA has spoken out against flavor bans and excessive regulation.

“By backing vaping, we can beat smoking and save 19 million lives with sensible regulation,” said Michael Landl, director of the WVA. “The EU call for evidence has seen a record number of 24,000 responses, showing that consumers want to embrace tobacco harm reduction, and it happens that vaping has been proven one of the most successful so far.

“The EU needs to put an end to current discussions about flavor bans, and vaping must be kept affordable and accessible. It is time for the EU to fully endorse tobacco harm reduction and to make vaping a centerpiece of it.”

The #BackVapingBeatSmoking campaign launched in Strasbourg, France, with a “Don’t Let 19 Million Lives Fall” protest art installation and will spread to 10 cities in six countries during October 2022 through November 2022.

“We will host community events and protests in France, Poland, Czech Republic, Italy, Portugal and Belgium to draw attention to one of the most crucial pieces of legislation for the future of vaping. It is time for politicians to listen to consumers and science,” said Landl in a statement.

The WVA has also launched a petition against harmful vaping regulation, such as flavor bans or high taxation on vaping products. The signatures will be delivered to Members of the European Parliament at the end of the tour in November.

October 8, 2022

Vapers Petition Lawmakers to Stop Swedish Flavor Ban

The global vaping advocacy group World Vapers Alliance (WVA) on May 24 delivered an open letter to the Swedish parliament urging policymakers to stop a pending ban on flavors

A day later, the WVA marched in front of the Parliament with the slogan “Flavours help smokers quit” and urged lawmakers to vote against the ban.

Earlier this year, the Swedish government introduced a bill that would prohibit all non-tobacco vape flavors in nicotine and non-nicotine products. If approved, the bill is set to enter into force on Jan. 1, 2023.

“I benefited firsthand from vaping and managed to stay smokefree for the last few years,” said Michael Landl, director of the WVA, in a statement. “Like most other smokers, I tried to find a way out of cigarettes—but nothing worked for me—the patches, the gums, the inhalers. Vaping—and especially combined with flavors—was my savior. And like me there are millions around the world who are healthier and lead a better life because of vaping.”

According to Landl, the ban on vape flavors will have disastrous consequences on public health:

“According to Yale School of Public Health, vaping flavored e-cigarettes are associated with a 230 percent increase in the odds of adult smoking cessation,” he said. “If vape flavors were banned, more than 150.000 swedes could be pushed back to smoking, which goes against any public health authority.”

May 27, 2022

Daily Beast: BAT Backing Vape Group

British American Tobacco is the driving force behind the World Vapers Alliance (WVA), a pro-vaping group presenting itself as a grassroots initiative of anti-smoking initiatives, according to the Daily Beast.

According to the investigation, BAT sought to use the WVA to organize individuals to pressure government officials, including members of the European parliament, to roll back regulations on tobacco products such as bans on flavored products, health warnings and increased taxes.

BAT went to great lengths to conceal its involvement with the World Vapers’ Alliance, according to the investigation. Yet, sources and internal documents reviewed as part of the investigation revealed that BAT “has played a central and hands-on role in orchestrating, directing and funding the World Vapers’ Alliance.”

Anti-smoking groups were aghast. “Tobacco companies like British American Tobacco claim that they are changed, responsible companies working to reduce the enormous harm caused by their products. But their actions tell a different story and show that they continue to use the same deceptive tactics they have always used, including front groups, to fight public health policies and protect their sales and profits,” said Matthew L. Myers, president of the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, in a statement.

Writing for Vaping360, Jim McDonald said BAT’s involvement with WVA was no secret among vaping advocates, “which is probably a major reason why the organization only has 20,000 individual members, despite extensive social media efforts,” he wrote.

According to McDonald, many vapers tend to mistrust and resent involvement in vaping issues by the tobacco industry, partly because companies like BAT subsidiary Reynolds American Inc. have gone out of their way to eliminate the competition posed by independent vaping businesses.

McDonald cites a 2014 RAI comment to the FDA, “essentially offering the agency a blue-print for destroying the open-system vaping industry.”

January 12, 2022

Tag: World Vapers Alliance