home page ← Buzz@Bruss! Edition #8 ← Throwing spaghetti at the wall
EU Commissioner Hoekstra has launched a barrage of accusations against the legal industry, painting a picture of marketing practices designed to lure children into lifelong addiction. His rhetoric is loud – but where’s the evidence? We call for a shift from sensationalism to substance: targeted enforcement, responsible dialogue, and a commitment to facts. JTI’s Global Marketing Principles show that protecting youth and public trust starts with enforcing existing laws and confronting bad actors – not compliant ones. It’s time to stop throwing accusations like spaghetti at the wall and start sticking to reality.
EU Commissioner Hoekstra is gunning for industry
“Vapes, in particular, lure kids in young and trap them in lifelong addiction. The marketing is deeply
troubling. Some of these products come in Sponge Bob and Luigi shapes, strawberry-kiwi Coke bottles, retro Gameboys, clearly trying to appeal to young people like they are some kind of a toy.”
Post | LinkedIn →
“They [manufacturers] target young people and make them susceptible to tobacco products”.
Vape is Big Tobacco’s ‘Revenge’ – Nicotine Insider →
“I call this the revenge of the tobacco industry. Having this deliberate strategy towards kids, sometimes 11, 12, 13 years old, with fancy flavors that they confuse for candy.” – Vaping kills our kids – Politico →
Europe faces real challenges around youth access to nicotine products – but tackling them requires evidence, enforcement, and responsible dialogue, not unsubstantiated claims. Recent statements by EU officials allege that “vapes lure kids,” that industry is “manipulating children,” and that products are shaped like cartoon characters or candy. Those are serious accusations. So, let’s ask serious questions: Where have cartoon-style products been found, and who is responsible for them?
To be clear, JTI does not manufacture, distribute, or market such devices. It is true that authorities across Europe have seized illicit and non-compliant disposable vape products featuring cartoon imagery and confectionery branding. These cases demonstrate the multiple realities in today’s marketplace: while legal manufacturers operate responsibly under strict regulatory frameworks and internal policies, illegal actors – often operating outside the EU regulatory perimeter – are able to evade rules and target youth.
The fight against illegal trade can only be won when all parties – governments and industry – unite in a strong, coordinated partnership. Our collaboration with international law enforcement organizations proves the power of open, proactive relationships in disrupting illegal supply chains. Better regulation remains the most effective weapon in this battle – but only if it is backed up with effective enforcement. Preventing youth access to tobacco and nicotine products requires effective regulation, industry compliance, and enforcement.
Europe’s tobacco and nicotine markets are among the most strictly-regulated worldwide. Responsible companies operate fully within this framework, and we support rigorous enforcement to ensure a level playing field.
This includes respecting:
JTI’s Global Marketing Principles & Global Marketing Procedures
Our Global Marketing Principles → ensure we market responsibly and consistently to existing adult consumers. We commit to 1) marketing only to adults of legal age; 2) using honest, accurate information; 3) reminding combustible tobacco consumers of health risks associated with these products; 4) informing RRP consumers that they have the potential to reduce the risks associated with smoking, though they are not risk free ; and 5) complying with all applicable laws and regulations.
Our Global Marketing Procedures translate these Principles into day-to-day guidance across sponsorships, sampling, content creation, SEO, and consumer databases – balancing global consistency with local legal requirements to protect our reputation. In practice, this for example means clear voluntary health warnings, avoiding any appeal to minors, and strict controls over traditional and online marketing (including geofencing, digital advertising, social media, influencers, and market research).
At JTI, compliance is the minimum — not the goal. Our Global Marketing Principles explicitly prohibit youth targeting, and we voluntarily apply stricter governance than is required in many markets, including self-imposed content and brand restrictions where no legislation exists.
From JTI’s perspective, our reputation is built on proof, not promises. We apply the JT Group’s 4S model – balancing the interests of Consumers, Shareholders, Employees, and Society – which guides our day-to-day decision making. That’s not a slogan – it’s a discipline.
In practice, this means enforcing strict controls over our partners, ending commercial relationships where compliance cannot be guaranteed, and proactively sharing intelligence with regulators where illegal or irresponsible behavior is detected. Importantly, JTI has never been prosecuted for marketing to minors.
In the modern era, trust and reputation are the currency of business. Lose them fast, recover them slowly…sometimes never. No credible company can afford to gamble with trust – nor should public institutions. We live in a time when citizen confidence in institutions is under pressure; broad, unsubstantiated accusations only deepen distrust and polarize debate.
So, here’s a constructive way forward: enforce existing laws rigorously; focus on illicit trade and non-compliant
sellers; consider evidence for public claims; and engage responsible manufacturers in transparent dialogue grounded in data. Protecting youth and maintaining public trust is a shared mission. Let’s meet it with facts, accountability, and collaboration – rather than throwing accusations around like spaghetti and see what sticks to the wall.
