BRUSSELS (AP) – Belgium will ban the sale of disposable e-cigarettes starting Jan. 1 for health and environmental reasons, in a landmark move for European Union countries.
Health Minister Frank Vandenbroucke said cheap e-cigarettes posed a health threat because they lured teenagers into smoking and made them more susceptible to nicotine addiction.
“Disposable e-cigarettes are simply a new product designed to attract new consumers,” he said in an interview.
“E-cigarettes often contain nicotine. When you ingest nicotine, you become addicted to nicotine. Nicotine is bad for your health. These are the facts,” Vandenbroucke added.
Because they are disposable, the plastic, batteries, and circuitry are a burden on the environment. In addition, “hazardous chemical waste is produced that is still present in things that people throw away,” Vandenbroucke said.
The Health Minister said he also targeted disposable e-cigarettes because reusable e-cigarettes can be a tool to help people quit smoking if no other option is available.
Earlier this year, Australia banned the sale of “vapes'' outside pharmacies as part of the world's toughest regulations on e-cigarettes. Belgium is currently leading the EU effort.
“We are the first country in Europe to do something like this,” Vandenbroucke said.
He wants to see stronger tobacco control in the 27-nation bloc.
“We urge the European Commission to launch new initiatives now to update and modernize tobacco law,” he said.
Some stores that sell e-cigarettes also understand Belgium's decision, especially when it comes to environmental issues.
Even when the cigarette is empty, “the battery is still working. The scary thing is that even if you can charge it, there's no way to charge it,” said Stephen Pomeranc, owner of the Brussels Vapothèque store. “So you can imagine the level of pollution that would cause.”
Bans usually mean economic losses for the industry, but Pomeranc said he doesn't think it will hurt too much.
“We have a lot of alternative solutions that are very easy to use,” he said. “Like this pod system, it's pre-filled with liquid and you just clip it onto your rechargeable e-cig. So all you have to do is transition your clients to this new system.”
