Dutch Public Health Agency Urges Government to Legally Ban Sales of Vaping Products to Teenagers

A survey by the Dutch public health agency FMA found a high rate of e-cigarette use among teenagers in Curaçao, and it is urging the government to pass legislation banning sales to minors. Dutch doctors have also introduced educational courses to improve young people’s awareness of e-cigarettes.

According to a brief report by Caribischnetwerk on November 7, the Dutch public health agency FMA found that e-cigarette use among teenagers in Curaçao is "alarming."

 According to the FMA survey results, this phenomenon is mainly due to the lack of regulations and oversight. FMA initiated the study, targeting young people aged 12 to 25, and the survey covered the use of alcohol, cannabis, tobacco, and e-cigarettes. 

FMA Director VeRDA Betrian emphasized that the government should introduce controls as soon as possible. At present, one popular measure is to restrict e-cigarette sales to doctors, as a way to help people quit smoking. 

Although e-cigarettes are also highly popular among teenagers in the Netherlands, sales to minors are strictly prohibited there. In addition, Dutch doctors have developed a set of educational courses to raise students’ awareness of the harms of e-cigarettes. 

FMA said that now is the time to introduce e-cigarette legislation, ban sales to minors, and direct fine revenue toward healthcare.