Belgium is the first country in the European Union to say goodbye to disposable e-cigarettes. The crackdown will come into force from January 1, 2025 and also includes a smoking ban in numerous public spaces, such as sports facilities, zoos, playgrounds and areas near schools and hospitals. This is a necessary measure for “health and environmental reasons”, explained the Minister of Health, Frank Vandenbroucke.
The ‘poofs’
Although ‘puffs’ are perceived as a fun product, with their colorful packaging and sweet flavours, they are accused of being a gateway to traditional tobacco. Furthermore, their low cost (5-6 euros for a disposable model) and their discretion encourage young people to use them without often being aware of their nicotine content, which can lead to addiction. According to Nora Mélard, spokesperson for the Alliance for a Smoke-Free Society, “some young people even wake up at night to use their puff.”
The Belgian government reacted quickly to the arrival of these products in 2019 and presented a first regulation in 2021 to the European Commission, which gave the green light last March. In addition to the health risks, the authorities report a serious environmental problem: disposable puffs generate plastic waste and lithium batteries, which are often thrown away after a few days of use. A rechargeable model, however, can last several months.
EU ban
Minister Vandenbroucke explained that the country would like other EU countries to follow Belgium’s example. “We are calling on the European Commission to come forward now with new initiatives to update and modernize tobacco legislation,” he said. In June 12 member states, including France and Germany, raised their voices calling for reforms on smoking and pointing the finger at the delays accumulated by the community executive.
Each cigarette shortens your life by 20 minutes
Ursula von der Leyen’s team, meanwhile, has presented a non-binding recommendation, approved in recent weeks by the Twenty-Seven, which aims to create increasingly smoke-free environments, reducing the smoking population in the Union from the current approximately 25%. to less than 5% by 2040.
Although the decision remains in the hands of national governments, the text developed by Brussels calls for a crackdown on outdoor smoking, with bans near commercial establishments, public transport stops, external areas of workplaces and, in in some cases, in restaurants and bars, to lower the risk of exposure to passive smoking. The measures, part of the broader EU plan to fight cancer, also concern electronic cigarettes and heated tobacco devices.
