The European Commission on Wednesday proposed a ban on the sale of flavored heated tobacco products amid a "significant increase" in use in the EU. 

"With nine out of 10 lung cancers caused by tobacco, we want to make smoking as unattractive as possible to protect the health of our citizens and save lives," European Health and Food Safety Commissioner Stella Kyriakides said in a statement.

A recent report from the EU's executive arm showed a 10% increase in sales volumes of flavored heated tobacco products in more than five EU countries between 2018 and 2020. Overall in the European Union, these products exceeded 2.5% of total tobacco product sales in 2020. 

Regulators want to 'keep pace' with new products

The move is part of the European Union's "beating cancer plan," which envisions less than 5% of the population using tobacco by 2040. 

Kyriakides said regulators would need to "keep pace" with new developments to "address the endless flow of new products entering the market."

She said new regulations were especially aimed at preventing younger people from using any kind of tobacco product. 

The proposal will need to be examined and passed by the governments of the EU's 27 member states and the European Parliament before it can go into force. 

The ban would not cover all vaping products, only those using heated tobacco. 

Flavored heated tobacco products use a device that heats a small cigarettelike stub containing tobacco, which vaporizes but does not burn the plant matter. The products differ from e-cigarettes or vape pens, which vaporize a flavored liquid containing nicotine. 

Producers of heated tobacco devices claim that their product is a less harmful alternative to conventional cigarettes. 

wmr/fb (Reuters, AFP, AP)