Belgium will ban the sale of disposable electronic cigarettes as of January 1 on health and environmental grounds in a groundbreaking move for European Union nations.
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Health minister Frank Vandenbroucke said the inexpensive e-cigarettes had turned into a health threat since they are an easy way for teenagers to be drawn into smoking and get hooked on nicotine.
“Disposable e-cigarettes is a new product simply designed to attract new consumers,” he said in an interview.
“E-cigarettes often contain nicotine. Nicotine makes you addicted to nicotine. Nicotine is bad for your health. These are fact,” Vandenbroucke added.
Because they are disposable, the plastic, battery, and circuits are a burden on the environment. On top of that, “they create hazardous waste chemicals still present in what people throw away,” Vandenbroucke said.
The health minister said he also targeted disposable e-cigarettes because reusable ones could be a tool to help people quit smoking if they cannot find another way.
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