Greece’s Proposed Vape Flavor Ban Threatens Public Health Progress
Consumer advocates and vaping organizations from Greece and across Europe are raising concerns over the Greek Ministry of Health’s proposed ban on all vape flavors except tobacco and menthol. The Greek Vapers’ Alliance and the World Vapers’ Alliance (WVA) warn that this measure could undermine the country’s significant progress in reducing smoking rates and jeopardize public health.
Since officially adopting harm reduction as a core component of its tobacco control policy in 2019, Greece has successfully reversed the previously growing trend of smoking, setting itself apart from the stagnation observed in many other EU countries. However, the proposed flavor ban threatens to undo these hard-won gains.
Michael Landl, Director of the World Vapers’ Alliance, emphasizes the potential consequences of such a ban: “A flavor ban would be a huge step backwards for public health and harm reduction. By supporting a flavor ban, policymakers would push millions of adults back to smoking or into the black market, endangering lives and ignoring scientific evidence. Scientific research consistently shows that flavors play a crucial role in helping smokers quit. The endorsement of the flavor ban ignores those findings and the clear will of the people. This will cause more harm than good.”
Nikolas Christofidis, spokesperson for the Greek Vapers’ Alliance, echoes these concerns: “Banning flavors in e-cigarettes is a superficial and dangerous decision. It does not target the real cause of use by minors, but it does punish hundreds of thousands of adult ex-smokers who have managed to quit smoking thanks to flavors. Instead of boosting harm reduction, they push them back to cigarettes or the illicit market. We call on the Ministry of Health to immediately reconsider this approach and to listen to the voice of consumers.”
Consumer advocates urge the Ministry of Health to engage in an open dialogue with consumers, experts, and the scientific community to develop evidence-based regulations that effectively protect youth without compromising the health and freedom of adult ex-smokers. They emphasize that prohibition is not the answer; instead, they call for policies grounded in scientific evidence and the principles of harm reduction.
As Greece stands at a crossroads in its approach to vaping and tobacco control, the decisions made by policymakers will have far-reaching implications for public health. By prioritizing evidence-based strategies and considering the perspectives of those most affected by these policies, Greece has the opportunity to continue its progress in reducing smoking rates and promoting harm reduction, setting an example for other nations to follow.
- Press Release: Greece: Flavour Ban Threatens Public Health Progress
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