Belgium will ban the sale of disposable electronic cigarettes as of Jan. 1 on health and environmental grounds in a groundbreaking move for European Union nations.
Health minister Frank Vandenbroucke said the inexpensive e-cigarettes had turned into a health threat since they are an easy way for teenagers to be drawn into smoking and get hooked on nicotine.
“Disposable e-cigarettes is a new product simply designed to attract new consumers,” he said in an interview.
And they’re cheaper as well, a disposable one is €10 here while containing about 2 ml of liquid. With the same stores selling refillable starter packs for €16 and 10 ml liquid for €4.
Yet I see the same people hoarding cheap cigarettes while on vacation, but refusing to twist off a cap to refill and plugging it in to charge when it’s empty, instead of tearing open a new one.