Home Politics Europe Health Institute Says Belgian Vape Law is “Still Too Vague”

Health Institute Says Belgian Vape Law is “Still Too Vague”

E-cigarette regulations in Belgium are still too vague, reported the Sciensano Public Health Institute, as while nicotine is restricted, other potentially risky substances are not.

Diane Caruana

October 14, 2020

The local vape law “imposes restrictions only on the presence of nicotines in e-liquids. Other substances are not explicitly banned and therefore we still often find them,” reported Sciensano. “These are nicotine impurities, volatile organic compounds and diacetyl and acetyl propionyl flavour enhancers. The latter are safe in food but can be harmful when inhaled over long periods of time,” added Sophia Barhdadi, a researcher at Sciensano.

These comments were released after the institute analysed a total of 246 e-liquids, dating from before (2013-2016) and after (2017-2018) the revised European Tobacco Product Directive (TPD) and its implementation in the Royal Decree (RD) on the 28th of October 2016.

Worrying products sold online

“There were more impurities in e-liquids sold online. The e-liquids that we bought in official vape shops were of better quality.”

Barhadi pointed out that the products sold online are even more worrying. “There were more impurities in e-liquids sold online. The e-liquids that we bought in official vape shops were of better quality,” she said.

However, explained the institute, the 2016 Royal Decree did improve the quality of e-liquids, and has added more accurate content information on the products’ labels. For example, the e-liquids were found to contain no volatile organic compounds (VOCs) (up from 10% in 2016) and less caffeine and flavour enhancers.

Latest TPD revision

Meanwhile, according to ECigIntelligence, officials in Brussels have admitted that some of the TPD revision research work may be delayed due to the current Covid-19 pandemic. “The research conclusions should be delivered to the Directorate-General for Health and Food Safety (DG-SANTE) by October, but officials in Brussels have admitted to ECigIntelligence that “delays may occur in view of COVID-19 limitations.”

On the other hand, the EC is continuing work on it as planned. “The Scientific Committees on Health, Environmental and Emerging Risks (SCHEER) is preparing an evidence report on the risks associated with the existing regulatory framework for vaping products in terms of nicotine concentration and limits,” reported ECigIntelligence.

Read Further: The Brussels Times