Europeans Have Had Their Say On Tobacco And Nicotine – The 2024 Eurobarometer Is Here!
25th Jun 2024
The latest Eurobarometer – a survey published by the European Commission – reveals some fascinating facts about Europeans’ attitudes towards tobacco and nicotine products. But despite the growing need to find solutions to real problems, neither the Commission nor Eurobarometer has actively promoted the results.
The Commission does not have support for its proposals
The survey, conducted between May and June 2023, shows that over half of former smokers who now used e-cigarettes have either reduced their consumption or quit completely. It also shows that 80-90% of non-smokers are not interested in nicotine products at all, whether it is patches, heated tobacco products or e-cigarettes.
Another point from the survey is that only 51% of the entire EU population supports a flavour ban on nicotine products. At the same time, the survey does not specify how many smokers and e-cigarette users support this ban – the groups that have actually benefited from risk-reduced products and managed to quit smoking – are not asked. This shows very weak support for further restrictions and a massive rejection of the introduced flavour ban on heated tobacco products.
The Commission wants to hide the results
It must also be noted that this report is being sneaked out only after various health ministers on Friday hailed various bans on nicotine products. If Member States had had access to this data earlier, ministers would have had the chance to focus on getting re-elected rather than proposing further restrictions. The timing of the publication is tactically chosen to hide the voice of Europeans.
More silence to come
Usually, the Commission uses these surveys to push its policy agenda, often centred on restrictive measures. This time, however, the silence from their side has been conspicuous, showing that the results do not support the Commission’s preferred policy outcomes.
“The latest Eurobarometer provides a deep insight into EU citizens’ attitudes towards tobacco and nicotine products. Given the significant insights on smoking and e-cigarette use, as well as the lack of support for flavour bans among users, it is curious that the Commission has chosen not to publish these results more actively. Usually, the Commission trumpets these studies as a “teachable moment” and uses them as the basis for its contribution to us Europeans – to ban things. The silence this time speaks volumes,” says Markus Lindblad, Head of Communications at Pouch Patrol.
The report can be read in full here.
