Belgium Minister Calls Tobacco Industry “Criminal”

According to Brussels Signal, Belgian Health Minister Frank Vandenbroucke described the tobacco industry as a “criminal industry” with “no place in our future” during an appearance on Ter Zake on Belgian public broadcaster VRT.

Vandenbroucke defended Belgium’s tougher anti-smoking and anti-vaping measures while admitting that a recent court ruling disrupted the government’s efforts to limit tobacco sales.

In April 2025, Belgium banned cigarette and vape sales in supermarkets, restricting tobacco products to specialist shops and newsagents to reduce impulse purchases. The move formed part of a wider strategy to lower smoking rates, which have dropped from 24% in 2004 to 12.8% today.

However, the minister said vaping among people aged 15 to 24 has climbed to 17%, calling it “a complete policy failure.”

Belgium’s Constitutional Court later ruled that the supermarket ban was discriminatory because smaller retailers could still sell tobacco products while larger stores could not. The court instructed the government to either remove the restriction or introduce revised legislation by the end of 2026.

Following the ruling, the government reinstated supermarket sales instead of challenging the decision, while continuing to pursue restrictions on flavored vapes. The reversal drew criticism from public health advocates and small retailers that had already complied with the original rules.

Vandenbroucke said the government had previously reduced tobacco access by removing cigarette vending machines and banning sales at festivals, but the court decision effectively pushed policy efforts “back to square one.”

The minister also accused vape manufacturers of targeting young people through fruit-flavored products such as strawberry, apple and raspberry varieties. He argued that vaping is simply “the old tobacco industry repackaged” and warned that companies are misleading children into believing vaping is harmless.

He called for stronger action not only in Belgium but across European Union, as support grows for broader restrictions on flavored nicotine products.

Critics of the policy argue that banning flavors while restoring supermarket sales will do little to reduce youth vaping, especially as illicit online markets continue to expand.

Small shop owners also criticized the reversal, saying they had already removed tobacco displays and stopped selling vapes to comply with the law, only to see supermarkets regain permission to sell the products.

A teacher interviewed on Ter Zake said many students are now buying disposable vapes from questionable websites because the products are cheaper and easier to access, raising concerns about unregulated ingredients and youth exposure.