Dutch Tobacco Industry Opposes Raising Smoking Age to 21
The Dutch tobacco industry has strongly criticized a government proposal to raise the legal age for purchasing tobacco and e-cigarettes from 18 to 21. The plan, supported by coalition parties D66, VVD, and CDA, aims to foster a “smoke-free generation,” but manufacturers argue it infringes on adult rights.
Jan Hein Sträter, director of the VSK industry association, called the move “ill-considered and unwise.” He highlighted the inconsistency of allowing 18-year-olds to marry, take out mortgages, and serve in the military while denying them the choice to buy nicotine products. “It is incomprehensible that someone is considered adult enough for all of that but cannot independently choose,” Sträter stated.
While health experts and psychologists support the age hike to combat rising youth vaping, the industry insists current measures should be evaluated first. Sträter pointed out that the effectiveness and enforcement of the existing 18-year limit have never been properly assessed, questioning the potential impact of raising the age further without addressing compliance issues.
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