Belgium bans e-cigarette flavors

Belgium will ban it from 1^er In September 2028, attractive flavors in electronic cigarettes, with the exception of tobacco flavor, will be banned in order to prevent initiation or encourage quitting of vaping among non-smokers, especially young people. The measure was approved by the Council of Ministers on the proposal of the Minister of Public Health, Frank Vandenbroucke.[1], who wish to extend such preventive measures to the European Union.

A public health objective with the protection of young people as its focus.

The government says it wants to limit vaping among young people and prevent a new generation from becoming addicted to nicotine. According to the minister, flavorings make the products more appealing and can mask their harmfulness. The minister's office cited disposable e-cigarettes, or "puffs," banned in Belgium since January 1, as an example.^er January 2025, which contained dangerous substances such as pesticides or lead, while having, for example, a taste and aroma of mint, apple, popcorn, or raspberry. This corroborates the results of a recent American study by the CDC Foundation, the "Tobacco Epidemic Evaluation Network" (TEEN+), This has led to warnings about vaping flavors, which are a significant factor in initiating vaping and underestimating the risks among young people. Furthermore, the ban on disposable e-cigarettes has not meant the end of attractive flavors used in other vaping devices.

Gold, an investigation conducted in 2024 by the FPS Public Health A study conducted in 902 retail outlets across Belgium revealed widespread non-compliance with the ban on selling tobacco and vaping products to minors: 54,130 retailers were selling these products to minors, confirming their widespread accessibility. Without effective controls and deterrent sanctions for sellers, the elimination of disposable e-cigarettes and a simple ban on their sale to minors are therefore insufficient to combat the nicotine epidemic.

The desire to be part of a European and global dynamic

By taking this measure, the Council of Ministers is following the advice of the Superior Health Council (SHC), the minister added. Indeed, in November 2025, the SHC recommended drastically reducing the number of flavors permitted for e-cigarettes. It emphasized that, when measures are taken, the protection of young people must always take precedence over the taste preferences of adult users. The Council also deemed it important for Belgium to harmonize its policy with that of neighboring countries in order to avoid cross-border purchases as much as possible. Belgium is thus aligning itself with the Netherlands, where only tobacco flavoring has been permitted since January 1st.^er October 2023, the firm explained:« In the Netherlands, it has already become apparent that such a measure has reduced vaping, particularly among young people. An assessment conducted in that country by the National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM) showed that two-fifths of users vaped less. 22% even reported having quit completely thanks to the ban on flavored e-cigarettes. ".

The official statement specifies that this decision is part of Belgium's "tobacco-free generation" policy, which aims to achieve an adult smoking prevalence of less than 5% by 2040, aligned with the objectives of the European Union.

Furthermore, the minister intends to« continue the fight »"Against electronic cigarettes in Europe, amidst a review of European rules on tobacco and new nicotine products. In March 2026,", The Belgian minister had asked the EU to limit the ingredients allowed in vaping products, to generalize the ban on flavorings except for tobacco, and to ban puffs. among the twenty-seven member states. The European Commission's text concerning the regulation of tobacco and vaping products is expected by the end of the year.

This movement extends well beyond Europe, since according to one of the latest available surveys, Belgium is the twentieth country in the world to completely or largely ban attractive vaping flavors.[2], not to mention that at least 46 countries prohibit the sale of vaping products.

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[1]Adrien Mouchet, «"This has to stop": a ban is coming to electronic cigarettes, with young vapers particularly targeted., RTL Info, published April 30, 2026, accessed May 4, 2026

[2]Global Center for Good Governance in Tobacco Control, E-CIGARETTE BAN & REGULATION: Global Status as of May 2025, Published on June 4, 2025, accessed on May 4, 2026

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