Belgium Moves to Curb Youth Vaping With Sweeping Flavour Ban

Belgium is preparing to outlaw all vape flavours except tobacco as the government steps up efforts to curb nicotine use among young people. Health minister Frank Vandenbroucke confirmed the plan after receiving fresh recommendations from the Superior Health Council, which said stronger measures were needed to prevent e-cigarettes from becoming a new entry point to addiction.

Vandenbroucke pointed to the Netherlands, where a similar ban took effect at the start of 2024. Dutch data showing that almost a third of users say they now vape less, and more than a fifth have quit without returning to cigarettes, has strengthened the Belgian government’s argument that limiting flavours can reduce uptake.

The Superior Health Council, which had previously stopped short of calling for a full ban, has shifted its position, warning that rapid increases in youth vaping require firmer action. Cancer charity Kom op tegen Kanker has also widened its anti-smoking campaign to include e-cigarettes amid concerns over rising use in classrooms. Recent surveys suggest nearly one in three Belgian students has experimented with vaping, and weekly consumption has quadrupled in five years.

Retailers have reacted angrily. Trade group Perstablo described the proposal as “absurd” and accused the government of pushing consumers toward an already thriving black market, where flavoured products continue to circulate despite existing restrictions. The organisation said it would consider legal action, questioning both the scientific basis and the economic impact of the impending rules.

The move forms part of a broader strategy to tighten tobacco control, including bans on disposable vapes and new limits on smoking in places frequented by young people. The government has yet to confirm when the flavour restrictions will come into force, but officials insist the direction of travel is clear: fewer flavours, fewer temptations, and fewer young people taking up nicotine in any form.