For years, electronic cigarettes have made it possible to smoke flavors other than tobacco. The central government is now putting a stop to this: as of January 1, flavored vapes may no longer be sold. Tobacco-flavored e-cigarettes remain permitted.
Primera sells both rechargeable and disposable e-cigarettes. The ban on flavored vapes brings changes to the range. “We sell the new, permitted variants. These are vapes with tobacco flavor and neutral e-cigarettes, which are tasteless,” explains an employee of Primera in Meppel. “We do notice that you serve a different target group with those flavors.”
The branch is still regularly asked whether flavored vapes are sold. “That happens all the time, from the beginning of the month. The old range is no longer allowed and we no longer have the smoking products, the e-cigarettes were sold out before the end of the year.”
At Primera in Steenwijk all flavored e-cigarettes were also sold out for the new year. “We no longer sell flavored vapes at all. People still ask for them sometimes, but we really don’t have them anymore. We are still receiving the new, permitted disposable variants with tobacco flavor,” says an employee.
The government reports that the flavor ban should make vapes less attractive to young people. Smoke-Free Generation reports that hundreds of children become addicted to smoking every week. Age is related to addiction sensitivity: the younger someone starts, the greater the risk of addiction.
Since August 2020, all school and educational grounds have been legally smoke-free. This is an initiative of Smoke-Free Generation, which wants to make growing up smoke-free a given. But how smoke-free is the new generation now that vapes are in demand? Based on data from the GGD, CBS and RIVM, Independer concludes that the number of young e-cigarette smokers has increased enormously: in 2022 there were 10 times as many vapers as in 2020. This must change with the flavor ban.
It is too early to say anything about the effect of the sales ban on flavored e-cigarettes, says the trade association Esigbond. According to the association, users have stocked up or are finding other ways to obtain the electric smoking material. Flavored vapes are still available across the border, illegally online or in a store that does not adhere to the ban.
It remains to be seen whether there are also electronic smokers who give the tobacco taste a chance, according to Emil ‘t Hart, chairman of the Esigbond. As long as vapers can still get their trusted smoke, they will go for it, he says. “It is a matter of waiting to see what people think of the tobacco flavors and what the hoarders do when their supply runs out,” says ‘t Hart. The trade association is not happy with the flavor ban, because it sees the vape as a less harmful alternative to tobacco. According to the association, people are also switching or switching back to tobacco due to the ban.
A spokesperson for the Esigbond reports that some vape shop owners have started selling tobacco. A few sellers have also opened branches in Belgium and Germany, where there is no ban. The association says that the previously introduced online sales ban on vapes will also not be enforced. “We tipped off the NVWA about illegal online sales, but they said they would not do anything with it,” said the Esigbond spokesperson.
A transition that Finn Bork, co-owner of Stonedoos Hoogeveen, previously predicted in this newspaper. “Vapes with flavors end up in the criminal circuit. There is no age control at all. Interested parties will still be able to get hold of it across the border and online. There is also a chance that people will mix flavors themselves, which can have dangerous consequences.” According to him, legalization is a better solution. “Shops can then strictly enforce age. Ensure that young people receive better information and check the age of young people who smoke and vape in public spaces.”
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