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Tag: youth vaping

  • Belgium to Ban All Flavored Vapes

    Belgium to Ban All Flavored Vapes

    Belgian Health Minister Frank Vandenbroucke announced plans to ban all vape flavors except tobacco, following new advice from the Superior Health Council. The move “aims to prevent vaping from becoming a gateway to nicotine addiction among young people.” Vandenbroucke cited the Netherlands, which introduced a similar ban in January 2024, where nearly 30% of users reported vaping less and over 20% quit without returning to cigarettes.

    The Superior Health Council, which had previously hesitated over a full ban, now supports stronger restrictions, arguing that protecting youth must take priority. Cancer charity Kom op tegen Kanker also extended its anti-smoking campaign to vaping, warning of rising use among students. Surveys show almost a third of Belgian students have tried e-cigarettes, with weekly use now four times higher than five years ago.

    Retailers, represented by Perstablo, condemned the proposal as “absurd” and warned it could fuel the illegal market, where flavored vapes continue to circulate despite bans. The group pledged to explore legal challenges, questioning the validity of the measure. Vandenbroucke’s plan follows earlier steps such as banning disposable vapes and restricting smoking in youth-popular areas, though the timeline for implementation remains unclear.

  • Thai Survey Finds Youth Vaping on the Rise

    Thai Survey Finds Youth Vaping on the Rise

    A nationwide survey by Thailand’s Department of Health Service Support that e-cigarette use among young people is growing, with the youngest reported new user just 6 years old. Conducted online earlier this year with more than 40,000 participants, the survey found the average age of initiation was 13.

    A previous survey found a sharp rise in e-cigarette use among Thai youth, increasing from 3.3% in 2022 to 17.6% in 2025. Of those users, 37.6% are aged 19–25, followed by 16–18-year-olds at 29.3%, and 13–15-year-olds at 22.4%. Peer pressure emerged as the leading factor driving uptake, with 45.6% of respondents saying they tried vaping because of friends. Social media was also cited as a major influence, with Facebook (27.9%) and TikTok (27.6%) named as the main platforms exposing youth to e-cigarette advertising.

  • Youth Confused About Nicotine Sources: Study

    Youth Confused About Nicotine Sources: Study

    Photo: kues1

    A study conducted by University of North Carolina researchers and published in Tobacco Control found widespread uncertainty and misperceptions about the sources of nicotine in e-cigarettes among youth.

    “An important contribution from this study is that adolescents don’t understand where nicotine in e-cigarettes comes from,” said first author Sarah Kowitt, assistant professor at UNC Family Medicine and UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, in a statement. “If youth don’t think e-cigarettes are tobacco products like cigarettes, that could increase the appeal of these products. The more youth associate e-cigarettes with cigarettes, the less youth like them.”

    The study also found that while some youth were aware of e-cigarettes that contain synthetic or “tobacco-free” nicotine, most youth were unaware. Most importantly, Kowitt said that the experimental portion of the study revealed that describing synthetic nicotine as “tobacco-free nicotine” increased intentions to purchase e-cigarettes among youth who use e-cigarettes.

    If youth don’t think e-cigarettes are tobacco products like cigarettes, that could increase the appeal of these products.

    Sarah Kowitt, assistant professor, UNC Family Medicine and UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center

    “To me, the big takeaway from our study is that the language that is used [to] describe e-cigarettes—on packaging and advertising—shapes adolescent users’ views of the products and their intentions to use them,” said senior author Seth Noar, professor at the UNC Hussman School of Journalism and Media and UNC Lineberger. “The industry has increasingly used the term ‘tobacco-free nicotine’ to describe synthetic nicotine products, and our data strongly suggest that this term may be misleading to youth in ways that increase the appeal of these addictive products.”

    The study is the first to examine how youth understand e-cigarettes with synthetic nicotine. Its goal is to inform efforts by governments and regulatory agencies, including the U.S. Food and Drug Administration,  to more effectively regulate the language used to describe synthetic nicotine products.

  • CVA Says Flavors Not Cause of Youth Vaping

    CVA Says Flavors Not Cause of Youth Vaping

    Image: Tobacco Reporter archive

    Recent claims by health advocates blaming flavored e-cigarettes for the rise in youth vaping are unfounded and lack proper context, according to the Canadian Vaping Association (CVA). The real issue, according to the advocacy group, is the lack of enforcement of the illicit trade and individuals buying for minors.

    “The CVA stands by its position that flavors are not the cause of youth vaping,” the CVA wrote in a statement. “The problem is the sale of vaping products to minors through the black market and straw sale. The industry has taken a proactive approach by implementing stringent age verification measures for our membership and [is] actively working with law enforcement to prevent such sales.”

    “I will be reaching out to all the health advocacy groups to extend an invitation to form a working group. Our intention is to work together to address these complex issues and find practical and enforceable solutions. Canadians deserve to have all stakeholders working together for the betterment of public health,” said Darryl Tempest, government relations counsel to the CVA board.

    The CVA believes that policies must be evidence based and consider the interests of all stakeholders. The CVA encourages health organizations to work with industry leaders and regulatory bodies to find common sense policies that will protect youth while supporting the health outcomes of adults battling addiction.

  • UK to Launch Vaping ‘Enforcement Squads’

    UK to Launch Vaping ‘Enforcement Squads’

    Image: RealPeopleStudio | Adobe Stock

    The U.K. is set to launch “illicit vapes enforcement squads” as part of a crackdown on the illegal sale of e-cigarettes to youth under the age of 18, reports Sky News.

    Led by Trading Standards, the squads will work across the country and share knowledge across regional networks and local authorities.

    The government says its priority is to prevent people from smoking and to support them to quit. It has admitted vaping is a preferable alternative for adults.

    However, it recognizes it has issues with illegal sales to children and illicit vapes being introduced into the market.

    Neil O’Brien, the health minister who will unveil the new plans, said the new illicit vapes enforcement squad will work across the country and clamp down on those businesses that sell vapes to children.

    “Our call for evidence will also allow us to get a firm understanding of the steps we can take to reduce the number of children accessing and using vapes,” he said.

    Smoker rights group Forest welcomed the knowledge-focused approach. “Education is always better than coercion, so we’re pleased the government appears to favor the carrot not the stick approach to smoking cessation,” said Forest director Simon Clark.

    “Vaping is a significantly less harmful alternative to smoking, so it makes sense to encourage smokers to switch to e-cigarettes.

    “If, however, adult smokers still prefer to smoke tobacco, government must respect that choice.”