A Dutch court has upheld a government ban on sweet flavours for e-cigarettes, citing their appeal to young people as a key reason. The District Court in The Hague rejected an appeal by British American Tobacco (BAT), which contended that the flavour ban violated the principle of the free movement of goods.
"The flavour ban is not unlawful," the court's verdict stated. "The harmfulness of the e-cigarette and the attractive effect of the sweet flavours on young people have been sufficiently established," it added.
BAT had argued that the flavour ban amounted to a de-facto ban on e-cigarettes, potentially undermining efforts to reduce smoking. The company claimed that fewer traditional cigarette smokers would switch to e-cigarettes if the flavour ban remained in place, hindering attempts to quit smoking.
However, the court dismissed this argument, noting that e-cigarettes with tobacco flavour are still permitted. "Other manufacturers have succeeded in developing such e-cigarettes," the court ruled. "Smokers who try to quit by switching to an e-cigarette can therefore continue to do so under the flavour ban."
Source link: https://www.khaleejtimes.com
