BRUSSELS. Menthol, Vanilla, Strawberry. Cigarette all tastes goodbye. The ban on the production of flavoring substances for heated tobacco products, first of all the classic cigarette, comes into force throughout the EU. The tobacco heating cigarette should not be confused with the electronic one. These are particular small-sized cigarettes, inserted in a device that prevents the combustion of the tobacco but brings it to high temperatures. A solution designed to sell the product as less harmful to health, since the combustion of the paper wrapper and its contents releases fewer components that can have repercussions for well-being.
However, this type of cigarette, at EU level, has been seen as a preferential lane for young people, who would be enticed by the many aromas found in tobacconists, making “blondes” that do not burn more pleasant to pleasant due to the scented fragrances . The European Commission wanted to run for cover, even in the face of numbers considered no longer acceptable. The data available to the EU executive indicate that tobacco consumption is “the most significant cause of premature death in the EU”, responsible for almost 700,000 deaths each year. Considering that around 50% of smokers die prematurely (on average 14 years earlier), and that the number of smokers is “still high” (we are talking about 26% of the total population and 29% of young Europeans aged between 15 and and 24 years old), the EU has decided to tighten.
This ban also fits into the new EU strategy for the fight against cancer, with the product available in tobacconists considered a factor to be countered. “Tobacco causes 90% of lung cancer”, recalls Stella Kyriakides, Commissioner for Health, convinced that “thanks to the ban, our citizens, and especially young people, will be better protected from the harmful effects of these products”.
Be careful, though. The entry into force of the ban on flavored heated tobacco products does not concern sales but production. Time is allowed to dispose of the remaining stocks in circulation. It will be possible to buy vanilla, menthol, berry and similar cigarettes until October 2023.