Leading Experts Warn Against Harmful Nicotine Taxes
01st Sep 2025
Today, an open letter was sent to the European Commission from more than 80 prominent scientists, doctors, and public health experts worldwide. The letter warns that the upcoming review of the Tobacco Excise Directive risks introducing new taxes on less harmful nicotine products – something that, according to the experts, would undermine the EU’s own public health goals.
Science vs. Politics
The experts argue that recent communications from the Commission, which equate the risks of cigarettes with those of smoke-free alternatives such as e-cigarettes, heated tobacco, and nicotine pouches, are in direct contradiction to the best available science.
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In Sweden, where snus and nicotine pouches are widely used, daily tobacco use is the lowest in the EU (<5%), and cancer incidence is 41% lower than the EU average.
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In the United Kingdom, where the government actively promotes vaping as a smoking cessation tool, smoking rates have dropped from 17% to 12% in just five years.
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In New Zealand, daily smoking has almost halved over the past decade, while vaping rates have risen.
“A Crossroads for Europe’s Public Health”
The letter urges the EU to base its policies on facts rather than ideology. Tax regimes that make it harder for smokers to switch to lower-risk alternatives are described as unethical and as protecting the cigarette trade rather than public health.
The experts also warn that if the EU sets a precedent of equating cigarettes with smoke-free alternatives, it risks sending a dangerous signal to the rest of the world, especially low- and middle-income countries.
The Signatories
The letter is signed by a broad coalition of internationally recognized researchers, physicians, and public health experts. It is also supported by organizations such as European Tobacco Harm Reduction Advocates (ETHRA), Medical Observatory on Harm Reduction (MOHRE), and the International Association on Smoking Control and Harm Reduction (SCOHRE).
You can read the full letter here.
