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Rabat — Starting January 1, Belgium will implement a nationwide ban on the sale of single-use vapes as part of its plan to protect the health of young people.
Nora Melard, spokesperson for the Alliance for a Tobacco Free Society in Belgium told AFP that young people start using vapes without always knowing their nicotine content, which is addictive.
“We have young people saying they are waking up at night to take a puff. It’s very worrying,” she said.
In 2021, Belgium sent a proposal to the EU Commission to ban single-use vapes.
The commission approved Belgium’s proposal in March 2024. France 24 reports the EU aims to achieve a tobacco free generation by 2040, and reduce the bloc’s smoking population from 25% to less than 5% of the total.
Several studies have raised alarms regarding the use of vapes, also known as e-cigarettes.
According to the American Lung Association, e-cigarettes produce a group of dangerous chemicals, of which include acrolein and formaldehyde. Similar chemicals can cause different diseases, including lung and cardiovascular illnesses.
“E-cigarette aerosol generally contains fewer harmful chemicals than the deadly mix of 7,000 chemicals in smoke from cigarettes. However, this does not make e-cigarettes safe. Scientists are still learning about the immediate and long-term health effects of using e-cigarettes,” the CDC states.
Nicotine, the main substance that makes up tobacco products, including e-cigarettes, is addictive. The repeated use of nicotine makes people’s brains used to it, often causing one to depend on the drug to feel normal.
Signs of nicotine addiction involve craving more of the drug on a daily basis, and having withdrawals when off of it.
Withdrawal symptoms include trouble sleeping, as well as a mix of feeling anxious, sad, restless, irritable and hungry.
