Netherlands to introduce e-cigarette minimum age

The Netherlands is to ban the sale of electronic cigarettes to people under the age of 18, according to a Dutch News story.

The ban was announced yesterday by junior health minister Martin van Rijn, who said the measure was being introduced in an effort to stop youngsters from smoking.

The new rules will apply to electronic cigarettes with and without nicotine, and will bring the minimum purchase age of these products into line with those of tobacco and alcohol.

“Smoking tobacco may be more dangerous but we have to do all we can to stop youngsters smoking,” said Van Rijn, who is hoping to introduce the new minimum-age rule as soon as possible.

The decision to introduce the age restriction was said to have followed research by the public health organisation RIVM that showed ‘e-cigarettes are more dangerous than thought’.

‘The chemicals included in the smoking mixture include nicotine, propylene glycol and glycerol, aldehydes, nitrosamines and metals’, the News reported.

‘Inhaling these can irritate and damage the airways, cause palpitations and increase the risk of cancers, the RIVM said.

The RIVM is now researching the impact of electronic cigarettes on non-users.