The EU’s crackdown on safer nicotine alternatives risks driving smokers back to cigarettes
October 06, 2025 by brusselstimes.com
The EU’s crackdown on safer nicotine alternatives risks driving smokers back to cigarettes
The sponsored opinion article discusses the ineffective bans and restrictions on nicotine pouches in some EU countries, leading to an increase in smoking and illicit markets. It emphasizes the importance of harm reduction strategies over prohibition, citing Sweden as a successful example. The text advocates for regulating nicotine products instead of banning them and highlights the negative consequences of prohibition, such as loss of tax revenue and public health risks. It calls for evidence-based policies in the EU to promote safer alternatives to smoking and urges the European Parliament and Commission to prioritize harm reduction over ideology.
