Exclusive Interview With Esigbond: The Dutch Trade Association of E-cigarette Faces An Uphill Battle

On September 17, Jason, diplomatic assistant for the ECCC and public relations manager for 2FIRSTS, spoke with Emil 't Hart, president of the Dutch trade association of Electronic Cigarette (Esigbond), who strongly opposed the impending ban on e-cigarette flavors in the Netherlands.

The Dutch Trade Association of E-cigarettes Logo

In May of last year, the Dutch cabinet imposed a ban on flavored e-cigarettes, allowing only tobacco-flavored e-cigarettes to be marketed; the Dutch Ministry of Public Health released a list of flavoring agents that can be used in e-cigarettes, allowing just 16 ingredients. The regulation was set to go into effect on July 1, but the Dutch Trade Association of E-cigarettes pointed out that the list contained two cancer-causing ingredients, delaying the effective date of the ban by six months.

Emil 't Hart remarked to Jason, "We are aware that, as members of the e-cigarette industry, we should be socially responsible and should not allow teenagers to consume e-cigarettes or more people to start smoking, and many of us in the industry do not smoke ourselves. However, this does not imply that all flavors should be outlawed and only 16 additions kept. There are also several nations, like as Belgium and France, that have a liberal approach toward e-cigarette tastes. Therefore, I believe it makes sense to let the market's natural selection decide. In the remaining months, we face a difficult battle. We must take action to effect change."