BRUSSELS, April 02, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The European Commission’s newly released evaluation of the Tobacco Products Directive (TPD) is facing sharp criticism from the World Vapers’ Alliance (WVA) for what it describes as a “masterclass in cherry-picking science”. The report, intended to serve as the evidentiary foundation for a total revision of EU tobacco laws, celebrates a 14.3% decline in smoking across the bloc since 2012 as a policy success.
However, the WVA points out a massive disparity in results: this very week, Sweden announced its smoking rate has plummeted to a record low of 3.7%. While the rest of the EU settles for incremental progress, Sweden has slashed its smoking rate by 66% over the same period. This was achieved by embracing tobacco harm reduction and allowing less harmful alternatives like nicotine pouches and vaping to compete with cigarettes.
“This report is an insult to science and a betrayal of the millions of (former) smokers across Europe,” said Michael Landl, Director of the World Vapers’ Alliance. “It is peak irony that while Brussels touts a 14% decline and prepares new bans, Sweden became smoke-free. This document is a 144-page exercise in ideological blindness designed to justify banning the very alternatives that work.”
The World Vapers’ Alliance is now urging the Commission to abandon its “prohibitionist fantasy” and return to the grounds of scientific reality. “We warn that a TPD revision built on this dishonest foundation will ensure that tobacco-related mortality remains a permanent fixture of European life”, added Landl.
Contact:
Michael Landl, Director, World Vapers’ Alliance
www.worldvapersalliance.com
A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/23d44cef-b934-4430-a66e-f7a36a326666