EXCLUSIVE – While the 1st Vape Summit takes place Monday in Paris, vapers will be disappointed. Marisol Touraine will be absent from the debates.
The 1 to 2 million regular vapers will go there in search of information. Organized Monday May 9 in Paris, on 1st Summit of the vape will bring together all the stakeholders (scientists, politicians, associations, health authorities, users) in the fight against smoking. The objective is to discuss together the best way to promote the development of the e-cigarette as an alternative to tobacco among smokers and to minimize the potential negative effects. A meeting awaited by vapers who hoped to see the Minister of Health there. Especially as Marisol Touraine said Tuesday evening on Europe1 that “better the electronic cigarette than the cigarette itself”.
But the minister will be absent from the event, for agenda reasons. Explanations with Jacques Le Houezec, one of the organizers.
Have you requested details of this absence from the Ministry of Health?
Jacques Le Houezec : Yes, we feel that they are embarrassed to be the only ones absent at this event. The 1 to 2 million regular vapers in France will have their eyes riveted on the debates that will take place that day. To make up for it, they are now trying to tell us that they will send a representative from the department. Finally, the presence of Prof. Benoit Vallet, Director General of Health (DGS), is also uncertain. It looks like he’s about to step down as he’s expected at one of the roundtables. In short, it may be a missed appointment with the health authorities.
How do you analyze this ministerial withdrawal?
Jacques Le Houezec : As for the organizers, we are not surprised. We expected it. The vapers, on the other hand, will be very disappointed. They had things to say to the minister. And they expected her to take a real political stance on the status of e-cigarettes in France. That voice, for sure, will be missing.
In reality, I think they are very annoyed by the European directive that they are forced to transpose into French law before May 20. This will largely restrict the current offer offered to vapers. If it is taken to the nearest comma, as the tobacco lobby wishes, the best performing products will disappear from shops. Only old vapers will remain that may cause people to fall back into smoking.
In your opinion, was the Minister afraid of the reaction of vapers?
Jacques Le Houezec : It is certain that if she came to announce bad news, the meeting between the two camps would have been tense. Perhaps she preferred to postpone the deadline or limit the risk-taking on the subject? The future will soon tell us what it really was.
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