The door open to the illegal market
Flanders wants to go further. The deputy Toon Vandeurzen (CD&V) pleaded for the ban on the sale of electronic cigarettes near schools. “”A radical ban does not work. The problem is illegal trade and doing that, we attack the bad person and we finance organized crime “reacts the spokesperson of Philip Morris Benelux.The ban on smoking extends in public space: “Going further than prevention is difficult, we are not the police”
The bookstores-presses do not see Flemish demand better. “”Politicians do not live in the same world as us and take the problem upside down! We were imposed on the neutral package years ago. Today, we have to hide all the tobacco products that we have made unattractive. But where are we going? 21 % of the population smokes against 19 % five years earlier “develops Xavier Deville, President of Prodipresse. “The government should not deceive targets. Young people do not provide us with us. They buy illegal vapes on social networks. Today, 30 % of the tobacco market belongs to the illegal market. In February, four production units in Limburg were dismantled. Behind, it is the mafia. With the increase in prices, we authorize and give access to the mafia to develop. imminent. “
Manufacturers and sellers do not oppose the ban on fanciful tastes but they recall that vape can be an alternative to traditional tobacco for adult smokers.Tobacco companies sound the alarm following new measures: “This is the door wide open to illegal trade”
At this stage, the Minister does not go to a generalized ban on the vape and does not plan to ban the sale near schools. The controls will be reinforced to sanction offenses in the future and on social networks. This year, more than 40,000 euros in illegal cigarettes were seized and 734 checks in stores were carried out. Customs control the packages.
“But we cannot lead this battle alone. We must also seize it at European level. I launched this discussion a few weeks ago, at a European summit in Warsaw to convince my colleagues to be more strict and more severe. I have always wanted to be clear on this subject: in my opinion, the tobacco industry has no future”conclude Frank vandybrouck.
