Belgium Health Minister Seeks Ban on Nicotine Pouches.

According to a report in The Brussels Times, Belgian Health Minister Frank Vandenbroucke called for legislation to ban the sale of nicotine pouches during a government department meeting last Wednesday (January 25th). Frank stated that "like e-cigarettes, this product could become a stepping stone for young people to start smoking.

In fact, nicotine pouches are not the same as smoking. The latter is a wet powder that contains tobacco and is banned throughout Europe (except in Sweden), while nicotine pouches are made from nicotine, plant fibers, and flavorings and do not contain tobacco. According to the Brussels Times, these pouches are popular among young people due to their variety of flavors and cheaper price compared to tobacco products.

Belgium is at the forefront of Europe's anti-smoking movement. In addition to stricter regulations on traditional cigarette products, new tobacco products have faced increasingly stringent policies in the past two years. In November 2022, Belgium proposed the introduction of a new pan-European tax on electronic cigarettes. In December of the same year, the Health Minister initiated legislation to ban disposable e-cigarettes, with no recent update on the progress. According to spokesperson Billy Buyse, the Royal Decree will soon be published in the official gazette and take effect six months later, with retailers granted an additional six-month transition period to clear their inventory. This means disposable e-cigarettes will still be sold in Belgium for at least one year.

Belgium's Health Minister is advocating for the prohibition of nicotine pouches.