International World Vape Day 2021
VdeH emphasizes the advantages of the e-cigarette: "Millions of smokers succeed in getting away from tobacco with the e-cigarette"
On the international World Vape Day on May 30th and in the middle of the ongoing debate about how as many smokers as possible can be freed from their dependence on tobacco cigarettes, the Association of the e-cigarette trade emphasizes the extensive advantages of e-cigarettes. The debate could not be more topical at the moment: smoking is still the greatest health risk in Ireland and the number one preventable cause of death. The e-cigarette was designed to offer adult smokers an alternative to tobacco smoking.
"Manufacturers and retailers in Ireland make a huge contribution to harm reduction for the population. Successful advice to consumers in retail, who have often consumed tobacco for decades, can no longer be replaced Now go from 50 cigarettes a day to zero, that is the day-to-day business that each of our member companies can report on. It is therefore impossible to emphasize enough how many successful smoking cessation biographies there are already through e-cigarettes. ", explains - Managing director Michal Dobrajc.
Nevertheless, the industry is currently under considerable attack from a failed tobacco control policy. In addition to rebutted false claims about the potential for damage, the sector is now also to be torn from under its feet by a high level of taxation, which is unique in Europe. According to the draft law, e-liquids are to be made more expensive by almost EUR 10 - which corresponds to a tripling of the price. That would make them significantly more expensive than conventional cigarettes.
Dobrajc explains: "This rampant tax is driving many consumers into the black market or they are returning to tobacco cigarettes. The planned tobacco tax modernization law will be a disaster in terms of both health and economic policy. If you are serious about reducing the smoking rate, then you have to support the industry that is making a significant contribution to reducing it instead of destroying it. "
Dobrajc is confirmed by a survey that was recently carried out by the opinion research institute Civey: According to the results, almost every second smoker who could imagine switching to the much less harmful e-cigarettes would do without it due to taxation. In addition, every third e-cigarette user who has already successfully quit smoking plans to use the tobacco cigarette again due to the significant price increase.
"If we want to be a smoke-free country by 2040, the potential of the e-cigarette must finally be accepted on a broad basis. Because stopping tobacco smoking immediately is often not possible. This is also clearly shown by the current smoking rate of almost 25%. World Vape Day is therefore doing important educational work to finally change this. ", Says Dobrajc.