More and more MEPs understand the difference in risk between cigarettes and smokeless nicotine products. At the same time, they are generally ill-informed about the products. This is according to a survey by Tamarind Intelligence.
"We find that informed members are also more likely to consider e-cigs, nicotine pouches and heat-not-burn to be less harmful than smoking products," says CEO Tim Andrews in BusinessWire.
For the third year in a row Tamarind Intelligence examined how much MEPs know about new nicotine products and their relative risks compared to smoking.
The overall results for 2022 shows that 54% of respondents believe that the use of new nicotine products, such as e-cigarettes, nicotine pouches and heat-not-burn, poses less risk than smoking. This is an increase from previous years. At the same time, the proportion of people who believe that smokeless nicotine sources are more or equally harmful as smoking has decreased to 19%.
25% of MEPs say they know nothing about the risks.
"It will be interesting to see where the MEPs stand on these issues. Not least because they need to take a position in connection with the European Tobacco Products Directive (TPD), which is due for revision later this year", says Tim Andrews, CEO of Tamarind Intelligence. BusinessWire
Worry breeds worry
When it comes to individual products, the answers varied quite a lot. Poor knowledge of snus and nicotine pouches tends to make MEPs more uncertain about the risks. At the same time, surrounding factors had an impact on how MEPs perceive harm risks.
"Those who are concerned that the spread of e-cigarettes will lead to more non-smokers using them, or that the use of smoke-free products will lead to more smoking in society, are also more likely to believe that the products themselves are more or as harmful as smoking," the report authors write.
The impact of disposable weapons
At the same time, the authors suspect that the recent proliferation of disposable cigarettes has also made MEPs who are more familiar with the product category hesitant about the risks of harm.
"11% of those with good knowledge now have doubts about long-term health risks, compared to 4% in 2021" write the report authors.
The report is based on a survey in which 46 MEPs, representing 6% of the European Parliament, chose to answer the questions
