EU Health Commissioner Dalli resigns over Swedish snus scandal, proposed e-cig sales ban

[Bill Godshall]

EU Health Commissioner John Dalli (who proposed EU e-cigarette ban) resigns over Swedish snus scandal
EUROPA - PRESS RELEASES - Press Release - Press statement on behalf of the European Commission
http://velvetgloveironfist.blogspot.com/2012/10/eu-commissioner-resigns-in-snus-scandal.html

This can only be considered excellent news for tobacco harm reduction products and policies in Europe.

 

[sonicdsl]

EU Health Commissioner John Dalli (who proposed EU e-cigarette ban) resigns over Swedish snus scandal
EUROPA - PRESS RELEASES - Press Release - Press statement on behalf of the European Commission
http://velvetgloveironfist.blogspot.com/2012/10/eu-commissioner-resigns-in-snus-scandal.html

This can only be considered excellent news for tobacco harm reduction products and policies in Europe.

Wow...someone actually followed the money!

 

[Sophora]

how sad, and just when I was starting to like the guy, uhh..............never mind.

Very good news indeed, not only for THR but also for the EU as a whole, since it shows that not all is acceptable.

 

[Sophora]

I'm confused:
Dalli denies resignation pre-announced by Barroso (full statement) | New Europe

According to mr Dali, he did not resign

 

[rolygate]

This has all the ingredients of a farce. Looks as if Barroso wants him out but Dalli won't go.

Links to Maltese EN papers, thanks Sophora:

MaltaStar.com
timesofmalta.com - General, sporting, and business news for Malta and the surrounding region
MaltaToday.com.mt

 

[Bill Godshall]

Several more new articles
EU Commissioner Dalli Resigns After Investigation - WSJ.com
The Associated Press: EU health chief resigns in corruption scandal

The more controversy over Dalli's resignation, the more publicity will be generated about tobacco harm reduction, the EU's unwarranted ban of snus sales, and Dalli's recently proposed Tobacco Directive policies.

 

[VapApe]

Curiouser and curiouser said Alice as she fell thru the looking glass.

I wonder how many more tics will get shaken off the dog before this is over.

 

[rolygate]

Anyway here's an interesting take on it:

Goodbye to the Maltese pharma pimp... Or not? - Blog

 

[freakindahouse]

And here's our take on it: Dalli Doesn’t Dilly Dally on the Way… OUT! | ECITA Blog

Cheers,

Katherine

 

[Bill Godshall]

Dalli's resignation is a gift that continues giving. Here are some more news stories.

Swedish Match on EU investigation of John Dalli
Swedish Match: Comments by Swedish Match to the press release from the European Commission

John Dalli responds
Update 3 | John Dalli resigns, will challenge OLAF: 'I will defend my name' [full statement] - maltatoday.com.mt

EU Commissioner pleads innocence
EUobserver.com / Institutional Affairs / EU commissioner pleads innocence

Dalli had two meetings with tobacco lobbyists
Dalli had two meetings with tobacco lobbyists - timesofmalta.com

Health NGOs decry ‘big tobacco’ attempt at derailing Dalli anti-smoking campaign
Health NGOs decry

EU Review of tobacco legislation to go ahead once new commissioner in place
EU: Review of Tobacco Legislation to Go Ahead Once New Commissioner in Place | Fox Business

Snus: an export ban and EU tobacco rules
Snus: an export ban and EU tobacco rules - timesofmalta.com

 

[Bill Godshall]

The best next step solution would be for the EU to appoint the Swedish Commissioner to replace Dalli as the next EU Health Commissioner, which would make the snus and e-cigarette prohibitionists go apoplectic.

Its shameful (but not surprising) that tobacco prohibitionists are trying to shift the blame (for Dalli's demise) to Swedish Match and Big Tobacco. While blaming Big Tobacco for Dalli's demise may make the prohibitonists feel good, it will only further reduce their credibility (as Swedish Match was the one that informed the EU about Dalli).

Health NGOs decry ‘big tobacco’ attempt at derailing Dalli anti-smoking campaign
Health NGOs decry

 

[Bill Godshall]

EU freezes tobacco law after lobbying scandal
EUobserver.com / Institutional Affairs / EU freezes tobacco law after lobbying scandal

BRUSSELS - The European Commission has frozen work on its new anti-tobacco law, despite warnings it is falling into a tobacco industry trap.

Spokeswoman Pia Ahrenkilde-Hansen said on Wednesday (17 October) that internal talks on the law - "inter-service consultations," the final step before decision-making - due to start next month will not take place.

She noted that: "Any proposal to revise the tobacco legislation will be made by the next commissioner in charge of the portfolio ... The review of this complex body of legislation will be taken forward when we have a new commissioner for health and consumer policy."

She declined to say whether work will begin from scratch or pick up where former health commissioner John Dalli broke off.

She added it could take until Christmas at least to replace him due to the ins-and-outs of the procedure, which includes a candidate hearing in the European Parliament.

 

[Papa Lazarou]

Anti-smoking campaigners accuse tobacco lobby after break in at offices of European Smoke Free Partnership and European Public Health Alliance - Anti-smoking campaigners accuse tobacco lobby after office break-in | World news | guardian.co.uk

Brussels police have swept the offices of two major public health organisations for bugs following a break-in at a building in the rue de Tréves in which laptops and documents relating to their battles against the tobacco industry were stolen.

It is a convenient address for those involved in lobbying and monitoring the European political process, just five minutes walk from the Parliament building, and there are eight floors of well-equipped offices for burglars to investigate. But it appears they were interested only in those of the European Smoke Free Partnership and the European Public Health Alliance on the 5th and 1st floors. A third office – a company that has clients on the other side of the argument – was also entered, but nothing was taken.

They are accusing the tobacco lobby of dirty tricks and trying to scupper the Tobacco Products Directive. I however wonder if it could be someone on the inside trying to destroy evidence of criminal wrongdoing??

 

[Tom09]

“The Tobacco Products Directive is dead” [John Dalli Video Interview 10/19/2012]

link changed:
http://www.neurope.eu/article/john-dalli-tobacco-products-directive-will-be-killed-video-interview

 

[Bill Godshall]

John Dalli: The Tobacco Products Directive is dead [VIDEO INTERVIEW] | New Europe
is a must see for everyone interested in keeping e-cigarettes and other smokefree tobacco alternatives legal and affordable.

Dalli said his Tobacco Products Directive would have mandated nicotine levels in e-cigarette cartridges, would have banned flavorings in tobacco products to protect children, would have required larger warnings on tobacco products, would have required plain packaging for all tobacco products, and would have kept the snus ban in effect.

In his comment about e-cigarettes (which begins at 3:25 of the interview), he also said that e-cigarettes would have "as to the amount of nicotine that the cartridge must contain before it becomes a candidate for putarization into the market".

Dalli also defended the EU snus ban by claiming snus and other new tobacco products are "very dangerous because they can be a startup in the nicotine addictive process, especially for younger children and women, which is why we consider those products dangerous".

Although Dalli only mentioned the nicotine regulation of e-cigarette cartridges, there had to be many other regulations (er prohibitions) for e-cigarettes in his Tobacco Products Directive.

 

[JerryRM]

This is great news for Europe, but will it have a ripple effect on the prohibitionists here in the States and in Canada?

 

[Bill Godshall]

I'm a bit confused about the next-step timeline for the EU regarding the Tobacco Products Directive, which was supposed to begin on Monday (but not now).

In his interview, Dalli said it appeared the Tobacco Products Directive was dead (until 2015) "until a new Maltese Commissioner is appointed" which wouldn't occur before January.

But another news story I posted above at:
EU freezes tobacco law after lobbying scandal
EUobserver.com / Institutional Affairs / EU freezes tobacco law after lobbying scandal

an EU spokeswoman said "Any proposal to revise the tobacco legislation will be made by the next commissioner in charge of the portfolio ... The review of this complex body of legislation will be taken forward when we have a new commissioner for health and consumer policy", which could take until Christmas.

 

[Stubby]

Swedish Match reveals 'snus bribe' sum - The Local

 

[Bill Godshall]

E-cig lobby hails Dalli’s departure, health groups raise ‘entrapment’ spectre
http://www.maltatoday.com.mt/en/new...alth-groups-raise-entrapment-spectre-20121018

 

[JerryRM]

Polyethylene glycol? How stupid can they be to print that erroneous statement?