The Dutch House of Representatives has voted in favor of additional measures to further expand smoking and vaping bans. The proposed expansion includes public spaces such as sports grounds, playgrounds, childcare facilities, amusement parks, and outdoor swimming pools.
Several motions were adopted following a citizen initiative by social organizations under the name Nicotinee. One motion, which received majority support, calls for research into banning the sale of nicotine products to anyone born after 2012.
Another proposal by Nicotinee aimed to increase the legal age for purchasing nicotine products by one year annually starting from 2030, effectively creating a generation that does not smoke. However, this motion was rejected due to insufficient support.
In response to recommendations from the National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM), the parliament also seeks to make cigarettes less addictive and appealing. Potential measures include mandating darker-colored cigarettes, banning certain ingredients such as sugars and flavorings, and reducing nicotine content.
The government's ambition, as outlined in the National Prevention Agreement, is to achieve a smoke-free generation by 2040, with less than five percent of adults smoking.
State Secretary Karremans of Youth, Prevention, and Sport recently urged parents to take vapes away from their children, following reports that at least fourteen children were hospitalized last year due to vaping.
While flavored vapes have been banned since 2020, they are still widely available. Implementing a total ban on vaping devices, including those without added flavors, would require European-level regulation.
Source: NOS Nieuws