Subject: Ensuring that the revision of the EU Tobacco Regulatory Framework remains evidence-based

Attention of:

Commissioner for Health and Animal Welfare, Mr. Olivér Várhelyi

Your Excellency,

We are addressing you based on the recent joint letter that was sent to you by the Health Ministers of the Netherlands, Belgium, Finland, France, Hungary, Latvia, Slovenia and Spain concerning the forthcoming revision of the EU Tobacco Products Directive (TPD) and the EU Tobacco Advertising Directive (TAD).

SCOHRE, as a scientific association committed to advancing evidence-based public health policy, shares the objective of reducing the burden of smoking-related disease and preventing youth initiation. These goals should remain central to the European Union’s tobacco control strategy.

At the same time, we believe that regulatory decisions should be proportionate, scientifically justified, and informed by the growing body of evidence on the continuum of risk across nicotine-containing products.

In particular, proposals that would impose a blanket freeze on future product categories raise important scientific concerns. Public health policies should allow innovative products to be assessed on the basis of their individual characteristics, toxicological profiles, and population-level impact. Restricting products before evidence can generate risks by limiting scientific evaluation and may unintentionally discourage the development of potentially lower-risk alternatives for adults who smoke.

Similarly, the experience from several jurisdictions highlights the importance of carefully considering the unintended consequences of highly restrictive measures, including the potential expansion of unregulated or illicit markets, which can undermine both public health objectives and regulatory oversight.

Many of these issues were extensively discussed during the 9th THR Summit (September 28-30, 2026 || virtual), which brought together scientists, public health experts, clinicians, and policymakers to examine the evolving evidence on smoking, nicotine use, and harm reduction. The discussions highlighted the importance of ensuring that future regulatory frameworks remain responsive to emerging scientific evidence and new technologies, while maintaining a strong focus on public health objectives. We would respectfully encourage consideration of the key scientific perspectives reflected in the Summit’s discussions and accompanying public materials.

As the European Union prepares the next generation of tobacco and nicotine regulation, we encourage policymakers to ensure that scientific evidence remains the primary basis for decision-making. Effective regulation should protect youth, support smoking cessation, address emerging risks, and remain adaptable to future scientific developments.

We respectfully call for a transparent, evidence-based review process, covering all evidence, that evaluates the risks, the benefits, and the population-level impact of individual products and policy measures on their merits.

Yours faithfully,

SCOHRE BOARD

President: Ignatios Ikonomidis, MD, PhD, FESC, Professor of Cardiology, Member of EACVI, ex. Nucleus member of ESC WG on Aorta & Peripheral Vascular Diseases, Director of Echocardiography and the Laboratory of Preventive Cardiology, 2nd Cardiology Department, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Attikon Hospital, Athens, Greece

Vice President: Konstantinos Farsalinos, MD, MPH, Senior Researcher, University of Patras, Greece – School of Public Health, University of West Attica, Greece – Data & Media Lab, University of Peloponnese, Greece

Secretary: David T. Sweanor J.D., Chair of the Advisory Board, Centre for Health Law, Policy & Ethics, University of Ottawa || Adjunct Professor, Faculty of Law, University of Ottawa || Global Leadership Council, Boston University School of Public Health || Legal Counsel, Non-Smokers’ Rights Association, 1983-2005

Treasurer: Andrzej Fal, Prof. dr hab., President, Polish Society of Public Health; Head, Director, Institute of Medical Science, UKSW, Poland

Members:

Anastasia Barbouni, Professor of Public Health, Hygiene and Disease Prevention, Department of Public and Community Health, School of Public Health, University of West Attica, Athens, Greece

Fares Mili, MD-CTTS, Pulmonologist, Addictologist, Chairman of the Tunisian Society of Tobacology and Addictive Behaviors (STTACA), Tunisia

SCOHRE BoD sent the letter on October 12, 2026.

Read the letter: 

SCOHRE_letter-October_2026