Politics & Campaigns

ETHRA Blossoms

Newly set up European consumer group ETHRA blossoms as the number of members has risen to 17 in the space of a few weeks

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European Tobacco Harm Reduction Advocates (ETHRA) has flourished over the few weeks since its inception. With the addition of the Danish Vapers Association (DADAFO), the number has risen to seventeen and looks to grow further thanks to the positive responses to the consumer group's proactive nature and professionalism.

At its launch at the end of September, ETHRA said: “ETHRA says: “Reduced risk products are providing a gateway out of smoking for millions of Europeans, but they face many threats. Today sees the launch of ETHRA, a new group formed by consumers themselves, to promote sensible regulation of innovative solutions for those who wish to continue using nicotine in a far safer form.”

Tobacco harm reduction is facing challenging times in Europe, as the EU Tobacco Products Directive review is already underway, and the WHO’s Conference of the Parties will be held in the Netherlands in just over a year’s time.

ETHRA is co-ordinating and amplifying the voices of European consumers, and has used it to good effect to call out the Cancer Society of Finland [link], the Dutch State Secretary for Health Paul Blokhuis [link], and to highlight the problem with risk perception in France [link] – not to mention the issue of the lung disease outbreak in the United States.

“Delighted to welcome DADAFO to ETHRA, our 17th partner … Tog-ETHRA we stand!” [link]

Membership currently includes:

  • ACVODA – [link]
  • AIDUCE – [link]
  • ANESVAP – [link]
  • ANPVU – [link]
  • DADAFO – [link]
  • EU For Snus – [link]
  • Greek Vapers Club – [link]
  • MOVE – [link]
  • NNA Ireland – [link]
  • NNA UK – [link]
  • NIKAN – [link]
  • NUS – [link]
  • SOVAPE – [link]
  • Snus Users Association UK – [link]
  • Je Défume – [link]
  • VAPERS FINLAND – [link]
  • Vapers.org.uk – [link]

Recently, ETHRA denounced a Dutch proposal as “awful”. The Netherlands government wants to ban all use of cigarettes, ecigs, snus, Heats, chewbags, nasal snuff, dip, moist snuff in all public places in the Netherlands by either the 1st July 2020 or possibly by 1st January 2020.

It’s great news that more consumers organisations are coming together to fight anti-harm reduction nonsense across Europe – and stands as a shining example to American organisations as to what can be achieved through cooperation.

Related:

  • ETHRA – [link]
  • ETHRA Twitter – [link]
Dave Cross avatar

Dave Cross

Journalist at POTV
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Dave is a freelance writer; with articles on music, motorbikes, football, pop-science, vaping and tobacco harm reduction in Sounds, Melody Maker, UBG, AWoL, Bike, When Saturday Comes, Vape News Magazine, and syndicated across the Johnston Press group. He was published in an anthology of “Greatest Football Writing”, but still believes this was a mistake. Dave contributes sketches to comedy shows and used to co-host a radio sketch show. He’s worked with numerous vape companies to develop content for their websites.

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