Harm-reduction advocates say their registrations for a European Parliament nicotine event on 17 November were cancelled. In an open letter, Brussels analyst David Zaruk now demands answers from the event’s host.

Criticism is growing over a European Parliament nicotine event that bars anyone linked to the tobacco and vaping industry, yet counts Nicorette maker Kenvue among its partners.

Another partner is the European Network for Smoking and Tobacco Prevention (ENSP), which two decades ago rewrote an EU report whose draft favoured lifting the snus ban.

In an open letter, David Zaruk – a Brussels-based risk and science communications analyst behind The Risk-Monger blog, claims that tobacco harm reduction advocates who registered for the event have since been turned away.

“It is exclusion by design,” Zaruk writes in the letter, published by nicotine policy news site Clearing the Air.

Registrations cancelled

According to Zaruk, invitations to the event went out on Monday 2 November. Members of a writers’ group on tobacco harm reduction – people who say they, or those close to them, quit smoking by switching to e-cigarettes, snus or nicotine pouches – registered that same morning.

By Friday 6 November, Zaruk writes, they had all received identical emails saying their registrations were cancelled because the event had reached full capacity. 

He says at least five people received the same message, and that it was still possible to register on 9 November.

The letter is addressed to Christophe Clergeau, the French MEP (S&D) hosting the event, and to its organisers. 

“This muzzling of alternative views, part of a cynical denial of dialogue tactic, is an all too common experience,” he writes.

“You are leaving yourselves open to an important conflict of interest that undermines any credibility your event may pretend to portend.”

Zaruk asks whether participation is decided by “politics rather than on a first-come, first-served basis”, wondering whether the event was full before the invitations were even sent.

He also asks how much ENSP or Kenvue paid The Parliament Magazine to co-host the event. Depending on the answers, he says, he will decide whether to file a complaint with the European Ombudsman.

Hypocrisy and a question of interests

Zaruk argues that Kenvue, whose Nicorette products compete for the same smokers as vapes, snus, and nicotine pouches, has a clear interest in keeping harm-reduction advocates out of the room. 

“They cannot afford to have harm reduction advocates present the European public with some embarrassing data that would undermine the corporation’s marketing strategy,” he writes.

Zaruk isn’t the first person to raise questions about Kenvue’s involvement in the event. 

In an interview with Snusforumet, Patrik Strömer, Secretary General of the Association of Swedish Snus Manufacturers, argued there is a “double standard” when it comes to who gets to participate in the nicotine policy debate in Brussels.

The event takes place weeks before the European Commission is expected to present its proposal for a revised Tobacco Products Directive (TPD3). 

“The hypocrisy about nicotine shows the need for an open, scientific and reality-based discussion,” says Strömer in response to Zaruk’s letter.

Snusforumet has contacted Christophe Clergeau’s office for comment. Zaruk says he plans to publish the replies he receives to his letter.