Belgium - Clearing the Air

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Sweden health minister attacks France pouch ban as ‘idiotic’

Sweden’s health minister has attacked France’s ban on nicotine pouches as “idiotic”, escalating a row over Europe’s treatment of smoke-free nicotine products. Elisabeth Lann, Sweden’s minister of health, criticised the French ban during an interview on the Swedish health and lifestyle podcast…

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Netherlands throws out disposable vapes ban plan

The Dutch government has rejected plans for a national ban on disposable vapes, warning that such a move would be legally uncertain and should instead be dealt with at EU level. The decision means the Netherlands will not push ahead with new…

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Sweden blasts France’s ‘absurd’ pouch ban

Sweden has hit out at France’s sweeping ban on nicotine pouches, after it emerged Swedes could face criminal penalties for carrying a smoke-free product that is legal at home while cigarettes remain on sale. The row has opened a fresh divide in…

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Belgium to ban flavoured vapes from 2028 as crackdown intensifies

Belgium will ban flavoured vapes from 1 September 2028, in a move ministers say is aimed at reducing youth uptake. The decision, approved by the federal government, means only tobacco or neutral flavours will be permitted. Popular options such as bubblegum, cola…

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Belgium pushes EU for tougher vape rules as minister warns of “epidemic”

Belgium’s health minister has urged the European Union to tighten rules on vapes, warning that use is becoming an “epidemic” and calling for a bloc-wide crackdown. Speaking during a visit by Michael McGrath to Sciensano, Belgium’s public health institute in Brussels, Frank…

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Illegal vape trade “everywhere” despite bans, undercover film finds

Undercover filming shows illegal vapes being sold in shops, on social media and from car boots Young people say it is easy to access banned products, often via Snapchat or friends One in five stores visited sold illegal vapes despite strict rules…

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Nearly half of Europe’s vape market comes from irregular sources, study finds

A new study has found that almost half of the vapes sold across Europe come from irregular sources, highlighting the scale of the illicit and grey market for the products. Researchers from the Fraunhofer Institute for Integrated Circuits IIS say around 48…

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Belgium seizes 140,000 illegal disposable vapes after sales ban

Belgium has seized more than 140,000 disposable vapes since the start of 2025, following the introduction of a nationwide ban on their sale that took effect on January 1. Belgium’s Federal Public Health Service said it has seized 140,019 disposable vapes so…

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Panic over vapes, opioids and Dutch teens – what the science actually says

Two recent stories - Dutch teens “flooding” hospitals after vaping and Belgian kids supposedly being “hooked” on hidden opioids in vapes - sound terrifying. They also risk seriously misleading the public about what’s really going on with youth nicotine and drugs. Let’s…

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