Verboten
German site Vapers Guru is reporting German federal drug commissioner Daniela Ludwig’s push to ban vaping flavours at home and across Europe
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by Dave Cross
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The parliament is set to debate vape advertising and eliquid flavours, following a similar disgraceful anti-democratic move by Dutch authorities.
Vapers Guru point out that the post of Federal drug commissioner is one tinged in favouritism and cocks a snook at democracy. The previous incumbent, Marlene Mortle, was appointed for her relevant experience of being the daughter of a Bavarian hop farmer and having completed a degree in rural housekeeping.
Lawyer Ludwig, her replacement, is described as an “arch-conservative” with some distinctly unpalatable and extreme opinions.
“I want people to get away from the cigarette, regardless of whether it is a tobacco cigarette or another product," Ludwig is reported to have said. Despite the situation in Britain being pointed out, she ignored it and added that she would not countenance the promotion of vaping in Germany and found Britain’s approach “questionable”.
She went on to add: “Flavours of fruits in the liquids appeal to young people, they are not made for smokers at all. I see a need for action there.”
Inventing her own facts, she added: “We will push the regulation forward. It has to be made even clearer that e-cigarettes are just as addictive and contain pollutants as well.”
Welcoming moves to ban flavours in the Netherlands, Ludwig announced that she would be driving for a similar approach across Europe as Germany will hold the Presidency of the European Union Council from next month.
Joey Hoffmann writes that any ban in Germany would simply lead to a flourishing and unregulated black-market economy, one where any Hinz und Kunz could whip up juices in their kitchen sink.
Earlier this month, European advocacy umbrella group ETHRA said: “We are concerned at the possibility of damaging policies Germany’s Presidency may generate for vapers in EU member states and would hope that it uses its term of office wisely instead of installing naïve and unthinking regulation across the continent.”
Hendrik Broxtermann, ExRaucher, added: “It is disappointing that Ms Ludwig wishes to see failed policies from Germany transferred to the EU as a whole. Regulation of vaping under the current EU Tobacco Products Directive is not perfect but may just be acceptable. We should be seeking to improve the regulation we have by liberalising in some areas, not imposing more restrictions which can only protect the cigarette trade.
"What Ms Ludwig should be doing is engage with the people who use these products instead of pronouncing from an ideological position, while also ignoring her own scientific experts on the subject.”
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Dave Cross
Journalist at POTVDave is a freelance writer; with articles on music, motorbikes, football, pop-science, vaping and tobacco harm reduction in Sounds, Melody Maker, UBG, AWoL, Bike, When Saturday Comes, Vape News Magazine, and syndicated across the Johnston Press group. He was published in an anthology of “Greatest Football Writing”, but still believes this was a mistake. Dave contributes sketches to comedy shows and used to co-host a radio sketch show. He’s worked with numerous start-ups to develop content for their websites.
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