Neutral packaging will also be mandatory for e-cigarettes

• August 25 2020, by Willy van Knippenberg
• 2 min reading time

• Share on:
• WhatsApp
• Deel
• X
• Pin it
• Messenger
• Email
• Share

---

All tobacco products must be sold in neutral, uniform packaging. The government wants this to also apply to electronic vapor products, such as e-cigarettes.

State Secretary Blokhuis of Public Health has published a draft regulation stating that e-cigarettes and cigars must be sold in neutral packaging from October 1.

"Cigars and electronic vapor products are not normal products," Blokhuis writes. "Therefore, there's no reason not to give the packaging of cigars and electronic vapor products a neutral appearance to reduce their appeal."

This rule will apply to all e-cigarettes and related products. "Electronic vapor products are defined as follows: electronic cigarettes, refills, nicotine-free electronic cigarettes, nicotine-free refills, and nicotine-free cartridges. Additional requirements will be imposed on the packaging of all these products."

Neutral packaging

According to Blokhuis, e-cigarette use among young people is quite high. "It's important to prevent young people from becoming addicted to a product that is harmful in itself and could be a stepping stone to smoking tobacco products. Therefore, it's desirable to discourage e-cigarette use among young people."

The proposal elaborates on the National Prevention Agreement, which includes a series of anti-smoking measures, including plain packaging . This involves a uniform, grayish-dark green-brown color for packaging. This has already been implemented in the United Kingdom, Ireland, France, Hungary, Norway, Australia, and New Zealand. The goal is to make smoking unattractive, with the goal of eliminating smoking among young people and a maximum of 5 percent of adults by 2040.

It's a continuation of the anti-smoking policy introduced twenty years ago. In 2002, an advertising ban came into effect, followed by a ban on smoking in the workplace and in the hospitality industry. The health of non-smoking employees was the primary concern. Initially, exceptions were tolerated for businesses like small hospitality establishments and those with smoking areas in the workplace. These are also being phased out. In 2014, the minimum age for the sale of tobacco products was raised from 16, which had been in effect since 2003, to 18. Manufacturers are required to include "discouraging," confronting images on part of the packaging. The Dutch Railways (NS) wants to make all its stations smoke-free.

all smoke-free by 2025

Blokhuis has made discouraging smoking a priority through the National Prevention Agreement. For example, supermarkets have been required to store all tobacco products out of sight since July 1st. This will also apply to other points of sale, such as gas stations, on January 1st, 2021. Only specialty stores that generate at least three-quarters of their revenue from tobacco products are permitted to display them. Cigarette vending machines must be phased out by 2023.

Schoolyards, all 400 petting zoos, all 12,000 childcare facilities, and 2,500 sports clubs must become smoke-free. This also applies to three-quarters of playgrounds, which, like all sports clubs, must all be smoke-free by 2025.

To help smokers quit, assistance is covered by the compulsory basic health insurance.

Source: https://www.volkskrant.nl/nieuws-achtergrond/neutrale-verpakking-wordt-ook-voor-de-sigaar-en-e-sigaret-verplicht~b23d9dfd/

Tags

e-sigaret Neutrale verpakking preventie akkoord

Leave a comment

Leave a comment

Name*

Email*

Comment*

Send