SOVAPE Responds to the EU
French advocacy group SOVAPE has contributed to the European Commission’s fact-finding exercise
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by Dave Cross
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Firstly, SOVAPE covered its independence credential: “SOVAPE is an association fully committed to the fight against smoking from the perspective of reducing smoking risks. SOVAPE is completely independent of the tobacco industry and the pharmaceutical industry.”
It continued: “It is in this spirit of dialogue with the health authorities that SOVAPE welcomes the call for contributions launched by the European Commission for the evaluation of the legislative framework for tobacco control and wishes to contribute to it.
“This contribution aims to inform the European Commission about the situation of vaping in France and Europe, to enlighten the European authorities on the scientific data currently available showing the positive effects of vaping on smoking cessation.
“Vaping, acclaimed by smokers, a real tool of tobacco control SOVAPE strives to provide robust scientific evidence demonstrating the success of vaping products around the world in reducing the risks against smoking. Whether it is population studies, clinical studies, reports from health authorities or even Eurobarometer data, all demonstrate the importance of the use of vaping products in the path of smokers to quit smoking.
“The essential use of robust and quality scientific evidence at the rate of several hundred studies and publications each year, the amount of data and scientific literature (clinical and population-based) on vaping are considerable.”
SOVAPE urged the European Commission to adopt a pragmatic, evidence-based approach that would assess risks while also acknowledging the benefits to current smokers. It also pointed out that attention has to be paid to the bias of the limited source selection presented by organisations that do not hide their scepticism about vaping and tobacco harm reduction.
It wants the European Commission “to carry out a real benefit/risk assessment of vaping products in relation to the scientifically established harms related to smoking and carry out a real review of the scientific data currently available on the benefits of vaping products and thus go well beyond the very limited and restrictive approach of the conclusions of the SCHEER Report.”
It says consideration must be given “to the importance of the use of flavoured products for adults in the light of existing data in the EU”.
It adds that the European Commission needs to reconsider the maximum e-liquid nicotine level, “arbitrarily set at 20 mg/ml. This insufficient rate for many smokers encourages underdosing, a factor in the failure of smoking cessation”.
Finally, that the European Commission must reconsider the maximum packaging of 10 ml for e-liquid bottles, “which keeps prices too high and creates plastic pollution harmful to the environment.”
Here’s hoping the Commission listens.
References:
- SOVAPE’s contribution to the European Commission - https://ec.europa.eu/info/law/better-regulation/have-your-say/initiatives/13481-Evaluation-du-cadre-legislatif-pour-la-lutte-antitabac/F3294558_fr
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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