Reduced vaping and smoking prevalence among people using e-cigarettes after implementation of an e-cigarette flavour ban in the Netherlands
Menée au Pays-Bas par enquête auprès de 548 adolescents ou jeunes adultes et 457 adultes utilisateurs de la cigarette électronique, cette étude analyse l'effet, sur leurs comportements tabagiques, de l'interdiction des arômes dans les cigarettes électroniques
Introduction: The appeal of e-cigarettes is concerning as vaping is harmful to health. Flavoured e-cigarettes are particularly appealing, including to youth. Therefore, the Dutch government implemented a ban that limits e-cigarette products to tobacco flavours and unflavoured options only. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of the ban on e-cigarette use in pre-ban users.
Methods: We conducted a retrospective cross-sectional online survey, 9 months following the ban’s implementation. A research agency with a certified participant pool recruited 548 adolescents and young adults (ages 13–24) and 457 adults (25+ years), all of whom used e-cigarettes pre-ban.
Results: As a result of the ban, 40% (95% CI 36% to 43%) of respondents reduced vaping, including 22% (95% CI 20% to 25%) who quit entirely, with no differences between the two age groups. Most consumers (73%) who quit vaping due to the ban did not use a substitution product. Six per cent of all participants started cigarette smoking and attributed this initiation to the e-cigarette flavour ban. Yet, overall prevalence of cigarette, cigar(illo) and waterpipe smoking declined post-ban, by 8 percentage points (ppt), 3% ppt and 5% ppt, respectively, indicating that more users quit than started using potential substitution products. The use of non-tobacco flavours in e-cigarettes declined by 44 ppt. Among those continuing to use banned flavours, the largest group (36%) purchased them in physical shops abroad.
Conclusion: The e-cigarette flavour ban effectively reduced e-cigarette use among pre-ban users, potentially benefiting public health. To enhance policy impact, we recommend international adoption of similar measures or other strategies to restrict cross-border purchasing.
Tobacco Control , article en libre accès, 2026