Hello folks,

It’s been another busy week in the world of vaping policy, so here’s a quick roundup of some developments you should know about. I hope this helps you stay on top of what’s happening in an increasingly challenging environment for vapers.

The focus of the week is Belgium. The government is moving forward with plans to ban vape flavours, but the policy risks repeating the same unintended consequences seen in the Netherlands rather than actually reducing youth use. Protecting minors from nicotine products is an important goal, and strong age restrictions should absolutely be enforced. But it is hard to justify why adult consumers who rely on flavours to stay away from cigarettes should be caught in the crossfire. If you’d like to learn more about the situation in Belgium, you can read the latest update on the WVA website.

In response, eight consumer organisations have come together to draft an open letter urging the Belgian government to reconsider the flavour ban and adopt an evidence-based approach instead. The letter highlights the role flavours play for adults who are trying to quit smoking and warns about the unintended consequences of overly restrictive policies.

Unfortunately, the outlook is not much better in Germany, where flavour bans are also gaining momentum. Michael has written a new blog outlining how the scientific evidence contradicts the arguments used to support these restrictions.

One interesting development circulating on X this week is that the study claiming e-cigarettes cause cancer has now been retracted. This is yet another reminder of how easily misleading claims can spread and how confusing the debate can become for smokers who are simply trying to find a safer alternative.

On a more positive note, two newly published studies suggest that low-dose nicotine may support certain aspects of brain function. Amanda has written an in-depth blog breaking down the findings, so it’s definitely worth a read.

That’s all for this week. Stay informed, stay vocal, and see you in the next update.