Bavaria’s Health Minister Holetschek is committed to a nationwide ban on single-use e-cigarettes. As the CSU politician confirmed to the German press agency dpa, Bavaria decided on a Federal Council initiative for this reason in January 2023. According to Holetschek, e-products are compared to cigarettes “By no means harmless. With single-use e-cigarettes, in addition to the unavoidable health risk of consumption, there is also avoidable environmental pollution.” explains Holetschek in an interview with the dpa.
Disposable vaporizers create e-waste
Like the reusable versions, disposable e-cigarettes are filled with a flavored liquid containing nicotine, the so-called liquid. To vaporize this, the disposable e-cigarette has an integrated battery. When the liquid is used up, the disposable vaporizers are simply thrown away. You can neither top up the liquid nor replace the battery. According to Holetschek, disposable e-cigarettes are usually disposed of with the residual waste, although they are officially classified as electronic waste. Important raw materials are lost as a result of disposal in household waste and there is a risk of fire. In the absence of a legal basis, Bavaria is currently not authorized to restrict sales. For this reason, the federal government should be asked to impose a sales ban on the initiative of the Federal Council.
The same rules should apply to e-products as to cigarettes
However, the ban is only aimed at disposable e-cigarettes. However, Holetschek advocates equal treatment of e-cigarettes and cigarettes. “Should long-term studies confirm that the health risks emanating from e-products for passive smokers are comparable to those emanating from tobacco passive smoking, I am in favor of tobacco and corresponding e-products in principle being subject to the same rules with regard to non-smoker protection and specifications for Advertising,” according to the health minister.
Disposable e-cigarettes: The dumbest trend in a long time – that’s how harmful disposable vapes are
