Debate heats up over novel tobacco and nicotine products’ harmfulness

 
Italian MEP Alessandra Moretti said scientists “know for sure” that novel alternative tobacco and nicotine products are harmful. However, some still question whether applying this approach of ‘precautionary principle’ is good for heavy smokers who cannot quit.

EU lawmaker Moretti (Partito Democratico – S&D) strongly defended the EU’s application of the precautionary principle, arguing that it should prevail in any public policy decision.

The principle implies that a policy should be dropped if it may cause harm, and its safety cannot be supported by sufficient scientific evidence; in essence, treating novel tobacco and nicotine products as harmful until proven otherwise. (...)