A hundred vape specialty stores in Belgium are closing for two hours today in protest against Health Minister Frank Vandenbroucke’s plan to restrict the proliferation of e-liquid flavours.
VapeBel, the Belgian federation of vape retailers and distributors, announced the action through a press release on Tuesday. VapeBel supports some limitations but fears that the minister’s plans might effectively result in a ban.
According to the federation, this ban would disproportionately impact the legal sector while benefitting the illegal market. VapeBel argues that vapes are a less harmful alternative for quitting smoking and cites advice from the High Health Council and the Flemish Institute Healthy Living.
“A flavour ban similar to that in the Netherlands, which the minister is considering, would spell doom for the legitimate sector and push the entire vape market in Belgium towards illegality,” said Felix Rijkers, chairman of VapeBel. “The legal sector is politically and disproportionately demonised.”
VapeBel reports that the Belgian vape sector comprises about 300 small and medium-sized businesses and employs over 700 people.
