Belgium set to ban disposable vapes in groundbreaking move for EU nations
29 December 2024, 07:21
Belgium will ban the sale of disposable e-cigarettes or vapes from January 1 on health and environmental grounds in a groundbreaking move for European Union nations.
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Belgium will ban the sale of disposable vapes as of January 1 for health and environmental reasons, making it the first European Union nation to do so.
The country wants the EU to modernise its tobacco legislation and is leading the charge by banning cheap, disposable vapes.
Health minister Frank Vandenbroucke said the inexpensive e-cigarettes had turned into a health threat since they are an easy way for teenagers to be drawn into smoking and get hooked on nicotine.
"Disposable e-cigarettes is a new product simply designed to attract new consumers," he said.
"E-cigarettes often contain nicotine. Nicotine makes you addicted to nicotine. Nicotine is bad for your health. These are facts."
Because they are disposable, the plastic, battery and circuits are a burden on the environment.
On top of that, "they create hazardous waste chemicals still present in what people throw away," Mr Vandenbroucke said.
Caller: "Keep your hands off my vape!"
The health minister said he also targeted the disposable e-cigarettes because reusable ones could be a tool to help people quit smoking if they cannot find another way.
Australia outlawed the sale of "vapes" outside pharmacies earlier this year in some of the world's toughest restrictions on electronic cigarettes. Now Belgium is leading the EU drive.
"We are the first country in Europe to do so," Mr Vandenbroucke said.
He wants tougher tobacco measures in the 27-nation bloc.
"We are really calling on the European Commission to come forward now with new initiatives to update, to modernise, the tobacco legislation," he said.
There is an understanding about Belgium's decision, even in some shops selling electronic cigarettes, and especially on the environmental issue.
"The battery is still working. That's what is terrible, is that you could recharge it, but you have no way of recharging it," said Steven Pomeranc, owner of the Brussels Vapotheque shop. "So you can imagine the level of pollution it creates."
A ban usually means a financial loss to the industry, but Mr Pomeranc said he thinks it will not hurt too much.
"We have a lot of alternative solutions which are also very easy to use," he said. "Like this pod system, which are pre-filled with liquid, which can just be clipped into the rechargeable e-cigarette. So we will simply have a shift of clients towards this new system."
