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Switzerland and UK lead “Effective Anti-smoking Policies Global Index,” EU with opportunities to improve
* The index is one of the most comprehensive studies available and serves as a guide for a more effective regulation of smokeless nicotine products and for eradicating smoking
* The We Are Innovation network analyzed 59 countries divided into 4 regions. No EU country in the Top 3
Tallinn, Estonia (November 4, 2022) — The recently launched “Effective Anti-smoking Policies Global Index,” published by the We Are Innovation network, analyzes the public policies to eradicate smoking in 59 countries, evaluating them in 10 objective categories such as the regulatory framework of Non-Combusted Nicotine Products (NCNPs), their prohibition, display, packaging, and taxation, among others.
The evidence from studies, articles, reports and meta-analyses all agree that NCNPs are 95 to 98 percent safer than tobacco consumed in the traditional way by combustion. The most up-to-date scientific evidence also shows that NCNPs, especially those with nicotine, are the most effective method to abandon combusted tobacco and avoid almost all smoking-related health harms. Thus, the index claims that public health policies should seriously consider vaping, nicotine pouches, snus, and heated tobacco.
The countries which lead the index are Switzerland, the United Kingdom, and New Zealand. The former has a legal framework for all NCNPs, while the national health authorities of the United Kingdom and New Zealand promote vaping for smoking cessation. Although the UK presents the best legal framework for vaping, it needs to catch up overall due to its ban on snus. Latin American countries like Chile, Mexico, Brazil, Argentina, and Uruguay find themselves in the bottom ten due to a combination of prohibitions and the position of their national health authorities, who are still hostile towards NCNPs as tools against smoking. However, the outlier is Australia, where all products are banned — placing it at the bottom of the index.
A crucial European issue
This year, the European Commission launched a call for evidence asking for feedback about its Tobacco Products Directive (TPD), which regulates traditional tobacco products and NCNPs. The initiative gathered a staggering 24,359 responses in less than a month. The current EU directive already imposes limits and restrictions that hamper the effectiveness of NCNPs as smoking cessation tools.
“Our analysis shows us that Europe needs to advance in the definition of a specific regulatory framework for nicotine pouches, the legalization of snus, and the improvement of taxation and health recommendations on all NCNPs,” said Federico N. Fernandez, coordinator of the Index and CEO of the We Are Innovation network.
The 240-page document offers recommendations to the authorities for public policies that effectively reduce and minimize tobacco harm and provide information to citizens. To this end, the index suggests allowing both physical and online retail, promoting the use of NCNPs as an active policy to limit smoking, and communicating the absolute and relative harms of nicotine vaping or consumption in any of its NCNP forms so that consumers can make informed decisions.
The “Effective Anti-smoking Policies Global Index” demonstrates that the use of vaping and other non-combustion products can have a significant positive impact globally. It also provides global examples and a roadmap for which public policies are conducive to harnessing the benefits of these innovative products. Learn more about this study at https://weareinnovation.eu
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ABOUT WE ARE INNOVATION
We Are Innovation is a network formed by a group of individuals and institutions that believe innovative solutions are how people get involved in solving problems. With more than 30 think tanks and NGOs based in Europe, the United States, and Latin America, We Are Innovation is the voice of a vibrant global civil society that wants to progress through innovation, the adoption of new technologies, and human creativity. Visit https://weareinnovation.global/ to learn more.
