With smoking regulations looming across EU, how does vape consumption compare in Europe?

Belgium became the first EU country to ban the sale of disposable vapes, while Luxembourg, Estonia, and Czechia report the highest vaping rates.

Transcript

00:00Belgium is the first EU country to ban vape sales. How does its consumption compare across Europe?

00:10The rise of electronic cigarettes and vaping products has introduced a new public health

00:15challenge. Luxembourg, Estonia and the Czech Republic report the highest vaping rates,

00:21exceeding 10%, while Bulgaria, Austria and Croatia have the lowest, at under 1%.

00:28While vaping rates remain relatively low in Europe overall, they are considerably higher

00:34among young people. In 2022, the average vaping rate for people aged 15 and 24 was 6.5%.

00:43Estonia saw the highest rates, at 30%, followed by the Czech Republic, at 25% and Luxembourg,

00:50at 20%. The sharp rise in vaping rates among young people in Estonia and the Czech Republic

00:56in recent years has been accompanied by a significant decline in tobacco smoking.

01:02In response to the growing use of e-cigarettes, several EU countries have implemented regulatory

01:08measures. Belgium became the first EU country to ban the sale of disposable vapes, starting

01:14in January 2025, citing concerns about their appeal to young people and environmental impact.

01:21Similarly, Ireland has announced plans to ban disposable e-cigarettes and limit

01:27vape flavors to tobacco only.