After the government's investigators recommended it, a sharp proposal to ban flavoring in e-cigarettes and e-liquid may be put before Parliament in the fall. Vejpkollen has asked representatives of the parties what they think about vejpning and harm reduction for smokers. First out are the Social Democrats.
Lena Emilsson (s) is the customs officer who represents the Social Democrats on tobacco issues in the Social Affairs Committee. She has been openly critical of e-cigarettes and snus as alternatives to tobacco smoking. At the same time, she sees the value of vejpning as a method to quit smoking.
"But if we weigh the risk of young people starting vejpa against those who want to quit smoking with the help of flavored e-cigarettes, then I think that the young people are much more important," she tells Vejpkollen.
According to CAN, around 70,000 Swedes use e-cigarettes daily. A large proportion of these are former smokers.
In this light, how do you see e-cigarettes in relation to smoking and smoking cessation, particularly in terms of public health? Benefits and risks?
"It is important to reduce the number of smokers because tobacco smoking causes so much damage. If you can quit smoking with the help of e-cigarettes, that's good. But e-cigarettes should not be used for health reasons either."
Do you think e-cigarettes are a reasonable alternative to traditional smoking?
"The best thing is to quit smoking without switching to any other tool that reminds you of smoking. If you can't do that, the e-cigarette has a function. But the disadvantage, as I see it, is that it reminds you so much of smoking that you can't break the habit. Quitting smoking is about breaking all smoking habits as well. That's why I believe more in patches or chewing gum. But then you need to cut down on nicotine too."
"Not good for young people to start"
Young people are trying e-cigarettes. 40 percent of secondary school students in year 2 have tried, one (1) percent use e-cigarettes daily. According to CAN, the majority are already smokers when they try e-cigarettes and curiosity is said to be the most common reason. Sweden has an age limit for the purchase of both cigarettes and e-cigarettes, and legislation restricting marketing.
Do you want to do more to limit use among young people? If so, what?
"It is not good that young people start using e-cigarettes at all. Since it's usually not about smoking cessation, it's not good."
"Flavors in e-cigarettes should be banned"
Flavoring in e-juice is a topical issue, both in the EU and here in Sweden. Some interest groups think that flavors should be limited (so as not to attract young users) while others, primarily users, see them as crucial to switch from cigarettes to vejpning.
How do you see the regulation of different flavorings? And can these two interests be reconciled?
"Flavoring of e-cigarettes should be banned. There is no need to flavor with different enticing flavors that appeal to young people. I believe that stopping flavoring is the best way to discourage young people from using e-cigarettes. Is it really the case that vejpningen as an alternative is less appealing just because flavoring disappears? I do not think so. You have to weigh the young people against those who want to quit smoking with the help of flavored e-cigarettes and then I think the young people weigh much more heavily."
"Break the habit completely instead"
There is a lot of independent research on e-cigarettes, some in Sweden, but mostly in other countries. UK research is the most extensive, and greatly influences the UK Public Health Agency's position on e-cigarettes. The authority actively encourages smokers to quit using e-cigarettes and often emphasizes the importance of harm reduction for smokers and the community (95% less risk of cancer and cardiovascular disease, according to the agency).
What is your view on this? And do you think something similar could happen in Sweden?
"I find it hard to believe that the public health authorities would go out and say that you should switch to e-cigarettes. They are telling people to stop smoking, but not how."
But why is the approach to tobacco harm reduction so different in Sweden compared to the UK, for example?
"In Sweden, there hasn't been much talk about harm reduction, instead focusing on quitting smoking completely. There have been many campaigns for patches and chewing gum, for example, that have focused entirely on breaking the smoking habit. Harm reduction is a term that emerged later, mostly along with snus. The view in Sweden has always been that quitting smoking is the best option."
Proposal for a comprehensive taste ban
The government's investigation is now out for consultation for comments from stakeholders. So far, there is no final proposal. Nevertheless, the investigator proposes a comprehensive ban on flavorings in e-liquid, excluding tobacco flavors. This is regardless of whether the liquid is nicotine-free or not.
Vejpkollen will continuously monitor developments during the fall. You as a reader can support the monitoring via Patreon.
Why do politicians not understand.
Lena Emilsson as a human being and politician has never gone outside the human zone.
He doesn't seem to know anyone who has either.
This means that they have used some kind of dangerous substance.
Not being able to give it up because of the cravings that the body screams for.
Fats, there are so many in the food we eat and in the air we breathe.
An alcoholic's system should prohibit spirits with different flavors exactly the same.
Flavored condoms oh my god we might all become nymphomaniacs.
Then I would like to put the question to Lena Emilsson and Fhm.
Have bans ever caused the banned to disappear from the market?
I don't think so, the state loses from it.
More sick people, less tax revenue, more (inspectors) police or government staff to be paid. Who is most affected, the people who pay taxes. And who benefits from it, the now criminal taste profile ejuice maker?
How much revenue do cigarettes and tobacco generate today, so that the health service can perhaps give them a little longer or perhaps a completely healthy life. This is reminiscent of the 1920-33 Prohibition era in the US when alcohol was banned. How did that work out?
Increase in crime.
There are plenty of such examples.
Politicians, please look in the rearview mirror and ask yourself what happened the last time we imposed a ban.
Once again vejping with flavored ejuices IS 95% less harmful than cigarettes. Oh the studies are there. Open your eyes and take part. Do not follow the lobbyists in the EU Parliament in Brussels.
Think of our Swedish patients suffering in the aftermath of cigarettes and tobacco.
Thank you for the floor.
Love to Stefan and Karl-Åke ❤