Since one year in Belgium, the online sale of electronic cigarettes and their refills is prohibited. Yet consumers continue to order on the internet. 48% of these products purchased online do not provide enough information on the amount of nicotine. Customs services make numerous entries.
ORDERS FROM ASIA ARE PARTICULARLY CHECKED!
At Brussels Airport, this Thursday morning, inspectors from the Ministry of Public Health carried out several investigations. They opened 400 packages containing electronic cigarettes and their refills bought abroad via the internet.
These purchases are considered illegal because the products do not comply with the safety rules applied in Belgium. « Look at this product, spear Paul Van Den Meerssche, head of the inspection service FPS Public Health. Its packaging resembles that of a packet of fruit candies. However, it is forbidden to cover the packaging with elements that make you think of candy as this attracts children."
Concretely, 48% of products bought abroad on the internet do not correctly indicate the quantity of nicotine present and especially its effects. Another observation: 62% of imported products do not inform consumers about safety instructions. " Information does not appear, critic Paul Van Den Meerssche. Neither in French, nor in Dutch or German. Another absence: the numbers to contact in the event of an accident, although this is mandatory at European level"
The main products targeted are those from Asia and America. The confiscated products are destroyed. To legally obtain an electronic cigarette in Belgium, you must go through a specialized store.
Source : Rtl.be/
