An EU Study Analyzes E-Cig Harm Perceptions Pre and Post TPD

A recent European study indicated that the Tobacco Products Directive (TPD) did not have any significant impact on e-cig harm perceptions, across six EU countries selected for the research.

Diane Caruana

July 20, 2020

The study titled, “European adult smokes’ perceptions of the harmfulness of e-cigarettes relative to combustible cigarettes: cohort findings from the 2016 and 2018 EUREST-PLUS IT,” aimed to determine the effects of the TPD on the harm perceptions of e-cigarettes compared to cigarettes, in adult smokers from six European Union member states (Germany, Greece, Hungary, Poland, Romania and Spain).

The researchers found no significant overall differences in e-cig harm perceptions between 2016 and 2018.

A total of 6011 participants were recruited in 2016, before the TPD was implemented. Of these, 3195 were followed-up in 2018 along with an additional new 2832 respondents in 2018. The researchers adjusted results according to consumption of cigarettes per day, sociodemographic characteristics and the number of times participated in the study.

The researchers found that in 2018, 28.4% of the respondents viewed e-cigarettes as less harmful than cigarettes, 61.8% believed that they were equally or more harmful than cigarettes and 9.8% responded that they did not know whether they were more, less or equally as harmful as cigarettes.

However, there were no significant overall differences in perceptions between 2016 and 2018. The only exception to this was a change in “don’t know” responses in Spain, where participants were less likely to respond that they did not know whether e-cigarettes were less harmful than cigarettes in 2018 than they were in 2016 (% difference = -9.9%, SE=2.7, p=0.008).

TPD revision delayed

Meanwhile in other news about the TPD, ECigIntelligence has recently reported that while some of the TPD revision research work may be delayed due to the current Covid-19 pandemic, the EC is continuing work on it as planned.

“The Scientific Committees on Health, Environmental and Emerging Risks (SCHEER) is preparing an evidence report on the risks associated with the existing regulatory framework for vaping products in terms of nicotine concentration and limits,” read the article by ECigIntelligence.

“The research conclusions should be delivered to the Directorate-General for Health and Food Safety (DG-SANTE) by October, but officials in Brussels have admitted to ECigIntelligence that “delays may occur in view of COVID-19 limitations.”