Ban on e-cigarettes in cafes and restaurants

June 30 2020, by Willy van Knippenberg
1 min reading time

Where a smoking ban is currently in effect, e-cigarettes and tobacco heating devices will no longer be permitted from 1 July 2020.

In all places where smoking is banned – such as cafes, restaurants, workplaces and public buildings – e-cigarettes and tobacco heating devices will no longer be permitted from 1 July 2020.

State Secretary Paul Blokhuis (VWS) has extended the smoking ban because these products ' cause health damage and can be a stepping stone for young people to start smoking regular cigarettes '.

Smoking is something from a long time ago

Smoking in a crowded restaurant now feels like a thing of the past, Blokhuis stated in a statement today. To prevent health damage and set a good example for young people, it was high time we consign e-cigarette smoking in the hospitality industry, among other places, to the history books. This measure, too, contributes to making quitting easier and starting harder, according to the State Secretary.

The cabinet previously decided to ban e-cigarettes with flavors like strawberry, mango, hazelnut, or marzipan. The ban, which takes effect in the first half of 2021, is intended to make e-cigarettes less attractive to young people. Currently, manufacturers still too often target this younger demographic by selling liquids with trendy and appealing flavors.

Starting July 1st, all cigarettes, rolling tobacco, cigars, and e-cigarettes must be hidden from view in supermarkets. Many supermarkets have already shielded these products. Other stores will no longer be allowed to display tobacco and tobacco products starting January 1st.

Mini-documentary about the e-cigarette

Presenter Edson da Graça investigated the facts and myths about e-cigarettes in a mini-documentary and spoke with a youth brain expert, a doctor, young vapers and a vape shop employee.

The mini-documentary was produced with the support of social organisations such as Health Funds for Smoke-Free (which includes the Dutch Lung Foundation and the Dutch Cancer Society), the Trimbos Institute, the RIVM (National Institute for Public Health and the Environment), Addiction Care Netherlands, the Dutch Association for Paediatrics and the Dutch Association of Physicians for Pulmonary Diseases and Tuberculosis.

Source: https://www.rijksoverheid.nl/actueel/nieuws/2020/06/30/rookverbod-geldt-ook-voor-e-sigaretten-per-1-juli-2020