The Netherlands’ Public Consultation on Flavour Ban Extended

Source from:  Vapingpost 01/26/2021

A public consultation on the recently announced flavour ban was meant to close on the 19th of January, but has been extended to the 2nd of February. The Independant European Vape Alliance (IEVA) the only pan-European association aimed at uniting national associations and businesses in the European vaping industry, is pointing out that the proposed measure, which would leave only tobacco flavours available for sale, risks pushing ex-smoking vapers back to using combustible tobacco.

“Around 65 percent of adult vapers in Europe use fruit or sweet liquids. The variety of  flavors is one of the most important reasons for smokers to switch to e-cigarettes and for vapers not to go back to smoking,” said the press release referring to a number of studies which have indicated this.

“The Dutch plan ignores important facts:

The number of young people in the Netherlands who have ever tried e-cigarettes has decreased by a quarter in the past five years.

The number of Dutch teenagers who vape is very small. Only 0.2 percent of 14-16 olds vaped regularly in 2019.

99,8 percent of all Dutch users of e-cigarettes come from smoking.”

Renowned award winning Professor of Internal Medicine and specialist of Respiratory Diseases and Clinical Immunology at the University of Catania, Riccardo Polosa, who has conducted extensive research on the use of vaping products, concurs. “Removing flavours will not affect the rates of youth cigarette use. But, it will certainly reduce the number of options available for those adults who seek to quit smoking for good and find flavoured e-cigs effective.”

Meanwhile, a press release by the World Vapers’ Alliance (WVA) has pointed out that the country is seeing the largest number of responses ever collected in a public consultation on health matters. In fact a statement just published on the Government website, said that the consultation has allegedly been extended “due to popular demand.”