Why the TPD needs to be strengthened

The EU Tobacco Products Directive was a milestone in tobacco control, covering everything from tracking and tracing of tobacco products to banning flavours in cigarettes, large pictorial health warnings on cigarette packs to regulation of e-cigarettes. But the in the years since the TPD came into force in May 2016 it has become clear that a review of the regulations is needed, particularly with respect to e-cigarettes and novel nicotine products. There are loopholes in the legislation which are being exploited by the tobacco industry. The evidence is growing that e-cigarettes can help smokers who can’t or don’t want to quit using nicotine, to stop smoking and stay quit, thereby significantly improving their health and wellbeing. This is a major public health benefit which needs to be sustained. However, just as crucially all novel nicotine products need to be regulated to minimise the risk of youth uptake. This presentation sets out ideas for how the regulations should be revised in the light of these two objectives.

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