Belgium - Clearing the Air

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Belgium confirms outdoor smoking and vaping ban from 2027

Belgium will ban smoking and vaping on public terraces and in designated smoking rooms from 1 January 2027. The federal government says the measure covers restaurant and café terraces as well as smoking rooms in airports, hospitality venues and clubs that cater…

News Legislation

Austria moves to ban disposable vapes

Austria is set to ban the sale of single-use vapes, citing concerns about youth vaping and environmental risks.

News Science

STUDY: Flavour bans make things worse

Flavor bans for vaping are associated with increased cigarette use and black-market activity, including the risk of youth access and reduced consumer safety, according to a new policy paper from the Tholos Foundation. The report draws on a combination of academic literature,…

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What is the European Commission smoking?

Article originally appeared on The Critic, reproduced here with permission. A leaked report from the European Commission has revealed plans to tax the pants off e-cigarettes, nicotine pouches and other life-saving substitutes for cigarettes. It is in the process of reviewing its…

News Legislation

EXCLUSIVE: BRUSSELS TO RAISE TAX ON VAPES, POUCHES AND IQOS

Update 12/06/2025: The leaked impact assessment is available to download here The European Commission is planning to require massive tax hikes on vapes, pouches and heated tobacco products like iQOS, according to a leaked impact assessment seen by Clearing the Air.…

News Legislation

Bulgaria’s blanket ban on vapes awaits Brussels approval

Bulgaria is on the brink of banning all vapes with the crackdown awaiting the go-ahead from Brussels. The move has sparked concern among harm reduction advocates, who warn it could reverse hard-won progress in reducing smoking rates. The proposed legislation - which…

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And the award goes to: WHO rewards purveyors of bad policy and misinformation

The WHO has today announced its 2025 “World No Tobacco Day Awards” winners. We wondered how many were responsible for misinformation and bad policy on safer products. Turns out, quite a few. Given that the Director General of the WHO himself is…

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Vapes still popular in Belgium after ban – and may now contain dangerous drugs, new report finds

Belgium’s ban on disposable vapes has handed their trade to the black market, a new investigation has found. In January, Belgium became the first European Union country to ban the sale of single-use vapes. However, a new report by broadcaster VRT’s Pano…

News Legislation

Bulgaria backsteps on blanket vape ban

Bulgaria has backtracked on its proposal to place a blanket ban on vapes. A Bill proposing a total vape ban had passed its first reading in parliament with unanimous votes in favour. However, Professor Kostadin Angelov, leader of the ruling GERB-SDF MP…

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