Belgium will become the first European Union country to ban sales of disposable electronic cigarettes as of Jan. 1 because of concerns about use among children and the environmental damage they can cause.

It is illegal in Belgium to sell vapes to anyone under the age of 18, but government data shows most young smokers start the habit with electronic cigarettes (vapes), rather than regular tobacco cigarettes.

Health Minister Frank Vandenbroucke said that inexpensive vapes had turned into a health threat since they are an easy way for teenagers to be drawn into smoking and get hooked on nicotine.
“E-cigarettes often contain nicotine. Nicotine makes you addicted to nicotine. Nicotine is bad for your health. These are fact,” Vandenbroucke added.

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,” Vandenbroucke said.

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.

"We are the first country in Europe to do so," 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 modernize, the tobacco legislation," he said.

WHO urges governments to take measures

Early this year World Health Organization (WHO) issued a call to action urging governments to take immediate measures to control e-cigarettes, protect young people and non-smockers.
E-cigarettes are allowed on the open market and aggressively marketed to young people, WHO stated. Thirty-four countries ban the sale of e-cigarettes, 88 countries have no minimum age at which e-cigarettes can be bought and 74 countries have no regulations in place for these harmful products.

“E-cigarettes target children through social media and influencers, with at least 16 000 flavours. Some of these products use cartoon characters and have sleek designs, which appeal to the younger generation. There is an alarming increase in the use of e-cigarettes among children and young people with rates exceeding adult use in many countries,” Dr Ruediger Krech, WHO Director for Health Promotion.

Children 13–15-years old are using e-cigarettes at rates higher than adults in all WHO regions. In Canada, the rates of e-cigarette use among 16–19-year-olds has doubled between 2017–2022, and in England (the United Kingdom) the number of young users has tripled in the past three years. 

Studies consistently show that young people that use e-cigarettes are almost three times more likely to use cigarettes later in life.

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