Some believe that e-cigarettes will soon be allowed to taste like tobacco and no longer like candy or fruit, with stricter sales rules added to them. "Young people can now buy it in too many places. And now they can still buy it online. The more difficult it is to obtain these e-cigarettes, the more difficult it will be to start smoking," says Van Ooijen.
He also announced a ban on tobacco-free pouches containing nicotine that are placed under the lip. This is a variant of tobacco pouches that has already been prohibited. Van Ooijen believes that a broader ban on oral tobacco is necessary because, according to him, the tobacco industry is constantly inventing new products that expose young people to nicotine. He says that nicotine is harmful to young people and may lead them to start smoking at an earlier age.
The government is taking additional measures to combat smoking, some of which have already been announced. For instance, starting in 2030, cigarettes and tobacco can only be sold in convenience stores and specialty stores, and then only in specialty stores from 2032. By 2024, shops selling tobacco must be registered. More places are also beginning to ban smoking and considering raising the minimum age for tobacco sales to 21. Tobacco consumption tax will increase by 1.22 euros (about 9 yuan) in the next two years.
The KWF Cancer Control, Lung Fund, and Heart Foundation believe that the government's desire to take action is a good thing, but they express that their expectations of the government are even higher. For instance, the Health Foundation hopes that from 2024 onwards, there is a yearly increase of at least 10% in consumption taxes, only allowing tobacco to be sold in specialty shops, raising the minimum smoking age to 21, and extending the smoking ban. "Support for strong measures is higher than ever before," they said in a response.
The decision by Van Ooijen to restrict the flavors of e-cigarettes has come under criticism from the e-cigarette industry. The trade association Esigbond predicts that allowing only flavors that taste like tobacco will not be attractive to consumers.
I couldn't help but smile slightly as they said: 'Our users will decrease usage because of this,' Van Ooijen said. 'That is exactly our intention, as it is a harmful form of smoking.' The government secretary stated that electronic cigarettes could help smokers quit, but now 'the situation is often the opposite.' 'Young people are beginning to smoke tobacco through electronic cigarettes.'
2FIRSTS will continue to provide ongoing coverage on this topic, with updates available on the '2FIRSTS APP'. Scan the QR code below to download the app.
Disclaimer
This article is provided solely for professional research, industry discussion, and informational purposes. Any references to brands, companies, products, technologies, or policies are made for factual reporting and analytical purposes only, and do not constitute endorsement, recommendation, promotion, or advertising by 2Firsts.
Nicotine-containing products, including but not limited to cigarettes, e-cigarettes, heated tobacco products, and nicotine pouches, carry significant health risks. Readers are responsible for complying with all applicable laws and regulations in their respective jurisdictions, including age restrictions and access limitations.
The information contained in this article should not be regarded as investment, legal, medical, regulatory, or commercial advice. While 2Firsts strives to ensure the accuracy and reliability of its content, it does not assume liability for any direct or indirect loss arising from errors, omissions, inaccuracies, or reliance on the information contained herein.
This article is not intended for individuals below the legal age for accessing tobacco or nicotine-related information in their jurisdiction.
Copyright Notice
This article is either original content produced by 2Firsts or content reproduced, translated, summarized, or adapted from third-party sources with attribution where applicable. The intellectual property rights of the original content remain with 2Firsts or the respective original rights holders.
No individual or organization may copy, reproduce, distribute, republish, modify, translate, or otherwise use this content without prior authorization. Any unauthorized use may result in legal action.
For copyright-related inquiries, corrections, or removal requests, please contact: info@2firsts.com.
AI-Assisted Translation and Editing Notice
Portions of this article may have been translated, edited, or reviewed with the assistance of artificial intelligence tools to improve efficiency and readability. Due to the limitations of AI-assisted translation and editing, discrepancies, omissions, or inaccuracies may exist when compared with the original source.
Where applicable, readers are advised to refer to the original source for the most complete and accurate information. If you identify any errors or believe that any content infringes upon your rights, please contact us at info@2firsts.com, and we will review and address the matter promptly.
