Netherlands: The arrival of “smart vapes” worries health professionals
October 24, 2024
Par: National Committee Against Smoking
Dernière mise à jour: October 22, 2024
Temps de lecture: 3 minutes
Dutch doctors are concerned about the arrival of a new generation of e-cigarettes, called “smart vapes.” These are devices that combine vaping with connected features like touchscreens and communication options, turning the e-cigarette into a gadget. They are likely to attract a young audience and increase nicotine addiction. One such device was recently spotted on a 16-year-old boy at Amphia Hospital in Breda, the Netherlands.[1].
Devices combining vaping and smartphone
Smart vapes stand out from traditional e-cigarettes due to their advanced technologies. In addition to vaping, they offer options such as Bluetooth, receiving messages, and even games. For example, the WeFume model allows you to monitor nicotine consumption in real time via a screen, control music, and receive notifications.
By combining vaping with popular digital activities among young people, such as gaming and social media, these devices create an experience reminiscent of a smartphone. This combination makes smart vapes particularly attractive to teenagers. “They’ve combined the two most addictive products for children: the phone and the vape, to create an even more addictive product,” says Danielle Cohen, a pulmonary pathologist at Leiden University Medical Center (LUMC).[2].
Attractive but illegally accessible products
Since January 2024, the Netherlands has banned flavored liquids, with the exception of those with a tobacco flavor. However, "smart vapes" remain available online with many prohibited flavors. It is mainly the presence of these flavors that makes their sale illegal. However, the legislation is less clear for devices without flavors, which could be allowed if they only contain liquids that comply with the regulations.
It has also been reported that these products can be obtained "under the counter" in some stores. This ease of access alarms health professionals, as it contributes to the spread of these devices among young people. Indeed, with their fun and social functions, these vapes are becoming a daily companion for young people, encouraging more frequent consumption.
The need for urgent regulation to protect young people
Faced with the proliferation of these new forms of e-cigarettes, health professionals are calling for stricter regulation, similar to that already applied to tobacco products. The NVWA, the Dutch Product Safety Agency and the Ministry of Health are working on measures to better regulate the sale of these devices. Health professionals believe that actions such as banning disposable vapes and limiting connected features would help limit the spread of these products among young people.
Smart vapes also raise environmental concerns, due to the difficulty of recycling electronic components such as screens and batteries. Public health and environmental organizations are also calling for these issues to be taken into account in the international discussions currently underway to reach an international treaty dedicated to reducing plastic pollution.[3].
RK
[1] https://nltimes.nl/2024/10/18/smart-vapes-arrived-netherlands-doctor-concerned (accessed 21/10/2024)
[2] https://nltimes.nl/2024/10/18/smart-vapes-arrived-netherlands-doctor-concerned (accessed 21/10/2024)
[3] https://www.generationsanstabac.org/fr/actualites/des-cigarettes-electroniques-a-ecran-tactile-dotees-de-jeux-video-pour-attirer-les-plus-jeunes/ (accessed 21/10/2024)
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