The World Vapers’ Alliance (WVA) held a demonstration at the European Parliament today as part of its ‘Back Vaping. Beat Cancer’ campaign.
The Covid-friendly demonstration coincided with a meeting of the Parliament’s Special Committee on Beating Cancer, where a number of MEPs highlighted the potential for vaping to reduce the harms associated with tobacco.
MEPs to show their support for vaping in included Italian MEP Pietro Fiocchi, who highlighted studies which have shown that vaping is far less harmful than smoking.
Meanwhile, German MEP Peter Liese stressed that it was vital that vaping was not as tightly restricted as smoking.
“Stop smoking is easy to say, but for those who are addicted it is very difficult.
“That is why I think we need to be a bit more open towards e-cigarettes.
“So at least we need to make sure that e-cigarettes are not more difficult to access than tobacco.”
Peter Liese, MEP
Liese’s point was backed by Dr. Nataliya Chilingirova, who was invited to offer her expertise to the committee.
Chilingirova said that the current evidence showed that the levels of exposure to carcinogens from e-cigarettes was lower than in cigarettes smoke and that e-cigarettes are ‘good options for current smokers who don’t want to quit or cannot quit’.
The professor of Oncology at the Science and Research Institute, Medical University Pleven, Bulgaria, said:
“I would suggest that the legal restrictions which apply to cigarettes should not fully be applied to heated tobacco products and other novel nicotine delivery systems.
“They could be used as harm reduction for heavy smokers and those who don’t have any other options.”
The WVA’s ‘Back Vaping. Beat Cancer‘ campaign aims to bring together vapers from around Europe who have experienced first-hand the benefits of switching from combustible tobacco.
WVA director, Michael Landl, said:
“Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan is an opportunity and one we cannot miss.
“I’m asking every vaper across the EU to join our movement and to sign our petition calling on the EU to Back Vaping to Beat Cancer.”
Europe has the highest prevalence of tobacco smoking among adults, accounting for 28 percent of the population, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).
Lend your support to the ‘Back Vaping. Beat Cancer’ campaign by signing the petition.
Header Image: World Vapers’ Alliance
