12 countries push for EU crackdown on vapes
The European Commission has delayed action on tobacco and nicotine, but countries say it should consider a ban on flavored vapes.
Denmark is leading a charge for a European clampdown on vapes in a move the country says will protect children and young people from harm.
A total of 12 EU health ministers, led by Denmark’s Sophie Løhde, have backed a paper calling on the European Commission to propose new legislation, which could include banning flavored vapes and limiting nicotine content.
They also suggest that social media giants take "greater responsibility" for marketing and sales of vapes on their platforms.
The pressure on the Commission to act on vapes comes after the EU executive delayed its planned reform of tobacco and nicotine rules earlier this year.
The setback triggered a backlash from Belgium's Health Minister Frank Vandenbroucke, who told the European Parliament's health committee in January that industry lobbying was to blame for the Commission's inaction.
They want people to smoke, that's the only explanation. They make money from taxing it and save money when people die early.
Aren't healthcare costs higher because their last years are so much worse? It's not like you just drop dead right after your healthiest years, you decline gradually and expensively.