As the consumption of new tobacco products increases, so do the regulations to regulate them. Belgium has thus put single-use vapes in the spotlight, since as of January 1 their sale will be prohibited throughout the country, as reported by AFP.
With this measure, Belgium becomes the first country in the European Union to ban single-use vapes, aware of the appeal that these products generate among young people, with claims such as flavors. Spain, for its part, has also already begun the process to ban flavors in electronic cigarettes and the Ministry of Health also wants to put an end to single-use vapes because of the damage caused by these products, according to Mónica García’s department. It is twofold: to health and the environment.
The ban on disposable vapes is part of the anti-smoking plan that Belgium wants to carry out, also framed in European objectives. The new rules will also prohibit smoking in more public spaces, such as sports facilities, zoos and playgrounds, as well as near schools and hospitals. The EU’s goal is to achieve a smoke-free generation by 2040, reducing countries’ smoking from the current 25 percent to less than 5 percent.
“The problem is that young people start using vapes without always knowing their nicotine content, and nicotine is addictive,” Nora Melard, spokesperson for the Alliance for a Tobacco-Free Society in Belgium, told AFP. «We have young people who say they wake up at night to take a drag. “It is very worrying,” he says.
Already in 2021, the Belgian government presented a proposal to the European Commission to ban these single-use devices. Last March he received the green light he needed to take any steps in this direction.
From 15 to 24 years
According to a study carried out by the EU in 2023, the majority of electronic cigarette consumers opt for rechargeable vapers, but single-use vapers are especially popular among young people aged 15 to 24. Furthermore, its price is usually below that of a pack of tobacco.
In seeking EU approval for its ban, Belgium argued that single-use plastic vapes with lithium batteries are often thrown away within five days of purchase.
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