Netherlands - Clearing the Air

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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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Belgium plans sweeping vape flavour ban amid policy gridlock

Belgium’s federal government is preparing a sweeping ban on all vape flavours except tobacco, a move Health Minister Frank Vandenbroucke says is necessary to stem rising youth vaping. But the announcement lands as Vandenbroucke and his party face mounting questions about stalled…

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EU vows vape tax hike as officials liken vapes to cigarettes

The European Union (EU) is preparing to hike taxes on vapes to the same level as cigarettes, as top commissioners draw direct comparisons between the two products - a move critics say ignores science. Brussels targets vapes in new tax overhaul At…

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EXCLUSIVE: Varheyli tweets, then deletes, false claim that nicotine causes cancer

A European Commissioner has come under fire for spreading misinformation about nicotine, just months after another senior EU official made similarly inaccurate claims about vaping. On September 30, Olivér Várhelyi, the Hungarian Commissioner responsible for health and animal welfare, wrote on X…

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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…

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Dutch doctors file complaint against Snapchat over illegal vape sales

Dutch doctors have filed a formal complaint against Snap - the parent company of messaging app Snapchat - accusing it of failing to prevent the sale of illegal vapes to teenagers in the Netherlands. The complaint, which was submitted to the Authority…

News Science

Smoke-free products slash toxic exposure for smokers and bystanders, new research shows

Smoke-free products like vapes, heated tobacco products (HTPs) and nicotine pouches expose users to far fewer harmful chemicals than cigarettes Chemical exposure from HTPs is estimated to be 40 to 50 times lower than from cigarettes; for vapes, 100 to 500 times…

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EXCLUSIVE: vaping and nicotine tax to be part of the EU budget

The long awaited EU Tobacco Excise Directive - which, as we revealed on Clearing the Air - will include massive increases on taxes for vapes and nicotine pouches - could be designed to directly finance the EU budget, according to leaked documents…

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SnapChat threatened with legal action in the Netherlands over vape sales

A Dutch anti-smoking group has threatened SnapChat with legal action, accusing the social media platform of enabling illicit vape sales to minors. Stichting Rookpreventie Jeugd claims SnapChat is failing to comply with European Union (EU) digital safety rules. Although flavoured vapes have…

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