Clearing the clouds: Reduced-risk and vaping regulation

Reduced-risk products (RRPs) have the potential to reduce the risk of harm associated with a particular activity or behavior: seatbelts reducing the risk of injuries in car accidents, condoms reducing the risk of sexually transmitted infection, helmets reducing the risk of injuries when skiing or cycling.

What about smoking?

Electronic cigarettes and heated tobacco products represent a rapidly evolving category, leading to better technology, improved device quality and broader choice for consumers. Industry claims there is a need to regulate but this should be done in a proportionate, while consumer-oriented manner.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) is continuously pushing for stricter regulation for vaping, whilst in Europe the precautionary approach of the EU Tobacco Products Directive is also contributing to this regulatory dilemma.

EURACTIV organised a workshop to discuss the way forward in reduced-risk and vaping regulation. Questions included:

What are the main differences between e-cigarettes and heated tobacco products?
What is the reduced risk potential in this category?
What more can be done to ensure a high level of product safety and prevent non-compliant products from being consumed?
How to successfully balance innovation, consumers’ demand and regulation both within the European Union and at global level?