Public health minister approves e-cigarette with nicotine

Belgium's public health minister Maggie De Block has approved the sale of electronic, or e-cigarettes containing nicotine, writes De Standaard. It was until now only possible to purchase nicotine-free e-cigarettes in Belgium. De Block's decision comes in spite of the negative advice of the Health Council.

De Block prepared a royal decree for the sale of e-cigarettes with nicotine on the premise that they would fall under the same laws as regular cigarettes, meaning no sale to minors under the age of 16, and no advertising except in newspaper and tobacco shops. Online sales are prohibited.

The decree is tied to some conditions, such as a maximum volume of 2 milliliters of nicotine-containing liquid with no more than 20 milligrams of nicotine per milliliter.

According to De Block, the decision fits into a larger 'deterrence plan', referring to the Health Council's opinion that the e-cigarette can help people to stop smoking because it contains 95% less nicotine than regular cigarettes.