Mint, apple, watermelon or cola flavor: the range of single-use electronic cigarettesalso called “puffs“, does not lack flavors.
In Belgiumthey will be prohibited for sale from January 1 in order to protect young people.
The measure falls within the framework of a national anti-tobacco plan and is also part of the objective set by the EU to achieve a tobacco-free generation in 2040, where less than 5% of the population would still consume tobacco.
Some countries also plan to bring forward the deadline. Because beneath its “fun” exterior, with its colorful packaging and the promise of puffs tasting like candy or soda, the “puff” is accused of being a potential stepping stone towards more traditional tobacco products.
Easily concealable, it also protects against bad odors on the fingers. “The problem is that young people start using puff without always knowing its nicotine content, but nicotine makes you addicted“explains to AFP Nora Mélard, spokesperson for the Alliance for a Tobacco-Free Society, in Belgium.
“We have testimonies about young people who wake up at night to be able to pull on their puff”continues this expert. “It’s very worrying”.
Belgium boasts of having reacted quickly when disposable electronic cigarettes hit the market five years ago. The federal government submitted an initial ban regulation to the European Commission in 2021.
Approval from the European executive is required for a marketing ban. This green light was given in March 2024, paving the way for the entry into force of a national law.
The Francefor its part, obtained the same green light for similar legislation in September. A law adopted in early 2024 by Parliament must be very soon promulgated. It plans to ban the manufacture, sale or free offering of “puffs”, with a fine of 100,000 euros.
“They start without thinking about the consequences”
In France, as in Belgium, health authorities have pointed out that chronic nicotine consumption is particularly harmful to the brain during adolescence and “risks raising awareness of other drugs”.
A study carried out across the EU in 2023 showed that the majority of e-cigarette users opted for a rechargeable model, but that “disposables” achieved their greatest success in the 15-24 age group.
In addition to the ease of use and the ads that are flooding social networks, the price is another attractive factor. At 5 or 6 euros for the first price, the “puff” costs twice as expensive than a pack of twenty cigarettes, while the number of puffs offered can go up to 9,000 on some, the equivalent of more than 300 cigarettes, according to experts.
On the shelves of Brussels tobacco shops, the single-use electronic cigarette is therefore living its last days. Some merchants are already warning their customers with notices that, due to lack of renewal, their stock is exhausted.
“I don't understand why ban puffs and not tobacco, which is also dangerous“argues a young consumer, Ilias Ratbi, interviewed by AFP.
“I think it’s good to stop selling”says Yona Bujniak, on the contrary, also encountered in the pedestrian sector of the center of Brussels. “There are many young people who start without necessarily thinking about the consequences.”
Another argument of detractors is the “ecological disaster“ what constitutes this disposable product. The “puff” with its plastic and lithium battery is generally found in the garbage “after one to five days” after purchase, where the rechargeable model can easily hold “six to seven months”, emphasized Belgium in its argument to the Commission.
