EU's Champions League: Sweden, Czech Republic, And Greece Score Big Against Smoking

(MENAFN- GlobeNewsWire - Nasdaq) BRUSSELS, Belgium, July 03, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Brussels turned into a Champions League arena for harm reduction as the World Vapers' Alliance (WVA) staged a trophy ceremony in front of the European Parliament, celebrating the real winners in the fight against smoking. Sweden, the Czech Republic, and Greece took centre stage, hoisting the“Champions of Change” trophy for their remarkable victories in reducing smoking rates-while EU policymakers watched from the sidelines.

“Brussels is obsessed with prohibition and ignores the evidence right in front of them. Lives are being lost because the EU refuses to follow the science,” said WVA Director Michael Landl as he handed over the trophies.“Instead of learning from countries that are saving lives, the EU is making life harder for smokers who want to quit.”

Sweden claimed the top spot, becoming the world's first officially smoke-free nation with just 4.5% of Swedish-born adults smoking-a rate five times lower than the European average and achieved 16 years ahead of the EU's own target. The Czech Republic and Greece also took home silverware, having cut smoking rates by 23% and 14% respectively in the last three years through pragmatic, harm reduction-focused strategies.

But while the champions celebrated on the podium, EU leaders remained stuck in the locker room. Irish Prime Minister Micheál Martin, ahead of Ireland's EU Council Presidency next year, outrageously claimed that vaping is as bad as the smoking phenomenon-signalling a worrying direction for future policy. WVA Policy Manager Alberto Gómez Hernández warned,“The EU's refusal to recognise these achievements is a disservice to millions of Europeans who deserve better options to quit smoking.”

With Commissioner Varhelyi confirming that the Tobacco Products Directive (TPD) will be revised this term, the WVA urged Brussels to stop missing open goals and start following the lead of Europe's true champions-before more lives are lost off the pitch.

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Michael Landl
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A photo accompanying this announcement is available at

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