Europe Is Protecting Cigarettes from Their Competitors
September 17, 2026 by substack.com
Europe Is Protecting Cigarettes from Their Competitors
Europe’s nicotine policy risks protecting cigarettes from competition by making safer alternatives harder to access, afford or communicate clearly. That is a dangerous inversion of public health priorities: the most harmful product remains familiar while lower-risk options face suspicion and restriction. Adult smokers need a market where moving away from combustion is easier than staying with it. Regulation should challenge cigarettes, not shield them from the products that could make them less dominant.
19.30% of the adult population are current smokers. There are approximately 13.9 million current smokers in Germany 22.10% of men are current smokers but only 16.50% of women.
SOURCE: GSTHR
