Ban on exotic flavors for e-cigarettes

The cabinet is putting an end to e-cigarettes with flavors such as strawberry, mango, hazelnut or marzipan. Tobacco flavors alone will not be banned, so smokers can continue to use the e-cigarette to quit. The ban on flavors should make e-cigarettes less attractive to young people, State Secretary Paul Blokhuis (Public Health) wrote to the House of Representatives today. At the moment, manufacturers still too often focus on the youthful target group by selling liquids with trendy and appealing flavours.

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Blokhuis: ,,The new insights confirm that the smoke-free generation that is arriving must also be an e-cigarette-free generation. There is no room for e-cigarettes with all kinds of seductive, exotic flavors.” These products are easily available and relatively inexpensive.

State Secretary Paul Blokhuis (Public Health)

The Trimbos Institute concluded this spring that e-cigarettes are more harmful than previously thought and that the Dutch public health benefits most from discouragement. Its use should be restricted to people who are really unable to quit using proven effective tools. There is also increasing evidence that e-cigarettes are a stepping stone to smoking.

Previously, RIVM research already provided a list of almost 20,000 different liquids for e-cigarettes in 245 different flavors. Among the total number of fillings, the taste description was fruit most often, followed by tobacco, desserts and menthol.Where to buy e cigarettes for the best quality. About two-thirds of liquids have a sweet taste description.

The state secretary also writes to parliament that he is in favor of a consumption tax on liquids for e-cigarettes with and without nicotine. Blokhuis: “I find the levying of such a tax on these liquids very logical and consistent.” However, a decision on this is up to the next cabinet.

Restricted

Tobacco heating devices – such as the IQOS – are currently also subject to legal restrictions. RIVM has shown that heated tobacco is harmful and addictive. The same rules will soon apply to these devices as to other smoking products, such as cigarettes. This means, among other things, the introduction of the age limit of 18 years and the display ban.

The ban on flavors for e-cigarettes is expected to come into effect sometime in the first half of 2021, a spokesperson for the state secretary said.