Letter to European Commission on risk misinformation

I joined a group of 23 European experts to write a letter of complaint about absurd statements made by Health Commissioner, Olivér Várhelyi.

See letter: False and misleading European Commission statements about novel nicotine product safety (25 Feb 2026 – 8 pages)

See media coverage below: Media

The covering email below summarises.

To: Björn Seibert, Head of Cabinet
For the attention of: President von der Leyen
CC: College of Commissioners

25 February 2026

Dear President von der Leyen,

I am writing to attach a letter from 23 European independent experts in tobacco and nicotine science and policy. We are deeply concerned by recent claims made by Commissioner Várhelyi that the use of smoke-free products has comparable risks to smoking cigarettes. There is no scientific basis for this claim, and a strong scientific basis to assess smoke-free tobacco and nicotine products as posing only a small fraction of the risk of cigarettes.

Given that smoking kills around 700,000 European Union citizens annually, this misrepresentation of risks has multiple negative consequences for public health and European Union policymaking. It would, for example, undermine the Tobacco Excise Directive, an updated Tobacco Products Directive, Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan, and the Cardiovascular Health Plan. More fundamentally, it would adversely distort the development of the internal market with high levels of health and consumer protection, and make it impossible to apply the principles of proportionality, non-discrimination, and precaution in practice.

We do not know what has led the Commissioner to take this stance. However, we are concerned that it will damage public health, compromise the European Union’s policymaking, and erode the European Union’s credibility. There are over 100 million tobacco and nicotine users in the EU – a significant share of the electorate – and they should expect better.

Our letter expands on these points with greater detail and appropriate citations.

We hope that the Council and Parliament will reject the Commissioner’s framing, and that, within the Commission, regulatory scrutiny and other quality assurance processes will correct this harmful misinformation before it can do further damage.

Please contact me if you would like further information or have questions. We would welcome the opportunity to meet in person to discuss these important issues. We will share this communication with other commissioners, council officials, and interested members of the European Parliament.

Yours sincerely,

Garrett McGovern
Dublin
Ireland

Media coverage

Brussels: If Brussels ignores science on safer nicotine, it risks losing public trust, EU Perspectives (Interview with Clive Bates)

Brussels: From clinic to Commission: Patients need effective ways to quit smoking, EU Perspectives (Interview with Garrett McGovern)

Brussels: Scientists accuse EU of misleading public on risks of smoke-free nicotine products, EU Reporter

Brussels: Leading scientists accuse European Commissioner of ‘misleading statements’ on smoke-free nicotine products, Brussels Signal

Brussels: Scientists accuse the EU of misleading the public about the risks of smoke-free nicotine products, EU Reporter (Italian)

Brussels: Experts slam EU commissioner’s ‘hazardous’ claims about alternatives to cigarettes – EU Perspectives (English / pan-European – Czech Republic)

Brussels: Commission launches internal talks ahead of tobacco law review, Euractiv (mentions the letter)

Romania: Disinformation about the risks of smokeless products, complained by 23 European experts in a letter to the European Commission Antena 3 CNN

Spain: Open letter from science experts to Von der Leyen on “absurd ideas” about nicotine: “The EU must stop misinforming before causing more damage” Es Noticia (Huff Post)

Spain: Scientists lash out at Brussels: accuse the EU of spreading “disinformation” about nicotine, Infoestan

Greece: Incomprehensible statements by the EU Health Commissioner regarding tobacco and nicotine products are turning people towards cigarettes, rejecting all alternative products with reduced harm – Capital.gr

Sweden: Scientist: Misleading image of smokeless nicotine – “Affects public health” – Vejpkollen.se Vejpkollen

Czech Republic: Disinformation from Brussels: Why is the ideological fight against nicotine preventing lives from being saved?  Zdravotnický deník (Interview with me)

Cyprus: 23 scientists call on the Commission to correct “misleading statements” on new alternative nicotine products – Politis

Italy: Smoking, science, and politics: 23 experts write to von der Leyen against EU “disinformation” about alternatives to cigarettes. Eurofocus

Italy: Smoking, science, and politics: 23 experts write to von der Leyen against EU “disinformation” about alternatives to cigarettes. Corriere Toscano

Other references

Scientists Warn EU: Misleading Claims About Smoke-Free Nicotine Products Will Stall Smoking Cessation Progress, Vaping Post

23 experts write to EU warning over vaping risk misinformation, Clearing the Air

Experts write to the European Commission, Planet of the Vapes

23 Scientific Experts Confront von der Leyen Over Commission’s “Damaging Misinformation”, World Vapers Alliance

Researchers fuming over EU health commissioner’s nicotine misinformation, Snusformet

Scientists Accuse European Commission of Spreading Misinformation on Smoke-Free Nicotine Products, IEVA (trade association)

False and misleading statements about vaping, European THR Advocates ETHRA (consumer group)

Other communications

Letter from Nordic Smoke-free Nicotine Association: A Nordic perspective on the EU nicotine framework – protecting youth, reducing smoking-related harm and disrupting illicit markets