“The weight of research and real-world evidence shows that progressive vaping policies can help millions of smokers to quit. Yet vaping remains under threat as decision-makers face pressure from anti-vaping organisations. Our campaign will make sure the evidence and the voices of vapers are heard, so that Governments will take the opportunity to save 200 million lives”, said Michael Landl, Director of the World Vapers’ Alliance.
2021 is a critical year for public health policies globally. Two major milestones will determine if Governments grab the opportunity to save 200 million lives, or decide to limit smokers’ access to life-changing quit tools. The global ‘COP9’ conference will set the direction for anti-smoking and vaping policies worldwide. And the EU’s ‘Tobacco Products Directive’ laws, currently being discussed in Brussels, will act as the benchmark for vaping policies globally.
“There is a risk that global leaders at COP 9 and at EU level - under pressure from anti-vaping activists - will introduce laws that would treat vaping the same as smoking” according to Landl. “This would spell disaster for vapers, for smokers and for public health. Millions of vapers may be forced back to smoking due to tax hikes, flavour bans, and other restrictions on vaping accessibility.”
“If they ignore that vaping is 95% less harmful than smoking and has already helped millions to quit smoking, then they will miss a golden opportunity to save lives. Nearly 200 million lives can be saved if the right vaping policies are introduced, and 2021 is an absolutely critical year if this is to be achieved,” Michael Landl added.
The World Vapers’ Alliance is launching a global campaign today to make sure that the voices of the millions of vapers who have successfully beaten smoking thanks to vaping are heard. The Back Vaping. Beat Smoking campaign will deliver a clear message to all the decision-makers around the world: The best way we can beat smoking is to promote vaping as part of public health policies.
“It’s vital that vapers' voices are heard. That’s why we’re taking our campaign out on the road, across Europe and around the world. Our campaign will combine digital and real-world activism to ensure that Governments take the opportunity to ‘Back Vaping. Beat Smoking’,” Michael Landl concluded.
ENDS
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Notes to editor:
- The World Vapers’ Alliance represents 23 vapers associations as well as 14.000 individual vapers from all over the world.
- Next FCTC COP9 meeting will be held 8–13 November 2021.
- The European Commission’s report on assessing the application of the rules laid down in the Tobacco Products Directive 2014/40/EU (TPD) was published on 20 May 2021.