Dutch parliamentarians want e-cigarettes and other vaping products to have a boring and uniform appearance.
According to the D66, which will submit the proposal in parliament today, the new rules will make vaping less attractive to teenagers. A majority in parliament supports the plan, RTL Nieuws reports.
“Young people now think it’s cool to have such an accessory with glitter while vaping is extremely unhealthy,” D66 parliamentarian Jeanet van der Laan told the broadcaster. “The vapes resemble a lip gloss or a marker. They are often colorful, and there are vapes full of glitter. Parents often have no idea exactly what the young people are carrying. Super worrying.”
There are even e-cigarettes in circulations that look like airpods, Van der Laan said. “That makes it look like a glamor accessory, while it is just smoking and therefore harmful to health. And young people are tempted by all those frills to start smoking.”
“E-cigarettes should look as neutral and uniform as possible. Preferably they should resemble regular cigarettes. Or else just white or black. Because it’s just smoking,” the D66 MP said. She believes a more boring appearance will make vaping less attractive to young people.
The Tweede Kamer, the lower house of the Dutch parliament, is discussing smoking on Wednesday. The D66 will submit its proposal during that debate. It seems to have majority support, according to RTL.
The Netherlands previously banned flavored e-liquids for vaping products.