“Discord Vape”, a vape consumer group, petitioned the European Parliament against Bulgaria’s bill to ban vapes altogether. The group argues that the ban is discriminatory, infringes on citizens’ free choice, could lead to an illegal market, and harm the economic interests of small and medium-sized enterprises.
According to Dnes, on February 13, a group called Discord Vape Consumers filed a petition with the European Parliament against Bulgaria’s total ban on vapes.
The organization reportedly has nearly 8,000 members on Discord, an international social and sharing platform, while the platform has more than 150 million customers worldwide.
The group argues that the ban is discriminatory and violates citizens’ right to choose at will. This restriction will not reduce the purpose of youth exposure to tobacco and nicotine products. Instead, it could lead to a thriving black market for illicit products, further forcing adult customers back into the app of traditional tobacco.
Vape groups are calling on MEPs to pay attention to proposed legislation in Bulgaria and other national restrictions such as bans on single-use vapes in Belgium and France, and discussions in the Czech Republic to ban certain flavors. The authors of the petition stress that the European Parliament should take measures to protect consumers based on current scientific data to ensure that they can choose low-risk alternatives.
Users cautioned that the ban would also have negative economic consequences and that a total ban on legal product types would hurt many small and medium-sized enterprises. According to the European Independent vape Federation (IEVA), according to data, more than 30,000 specialty stores in the EU are affected by the ban, and about 500 Bulgarian businesses, including manufacturers, buyers, distributors, and retailers, are directly harmed. “Property damage could run into millions of euros per year, including lost jobs and tax cuts,” the petition said.
