The Dutch Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority (NVWA) seized 69 illegal vapes from a resident of Alkmaar on Wednesday, July 23. The man sold flavored vapes from his home. Selling vapes with sweet flavors is prohibited. He will receive a fine for this. The vapes will be destroyed at the dealers expense.
Recently, the NVWA received several reports about the Alkmaar resident. As a result, inspectors started an investigation. It turned out that the man offered vapes with sweet flavors for sale on social media. Customers could then pick up their orders at his home or at an agreed location outside.
Therefore, the NVWA ordered vapes from the man and picked them up on Wednesday, July 23, at an agreed location. After the successful purchase, the inspectors immediately proceeded. Together with the police, they went to the mans home. There, and in the mans scooter, they found a total of 69 vapes with different flavors.
More Homes Visited
This is the fourth time in a short period that the NVWA has visited vape dealers at home. Earlier, this happened in Alphen aan den Rijn, Andijk, and Capelle aan den IJssel. These sellers receive a fine for selling illegal vapes. In total, the NVWA has seized 660 vapes and 1494 boxes of snus. They will be destroyed at the violators expense.
The NVWA inspects warehouses and stores, has social media posts removed that offer illegal vapes for sale, acts against vape dealers in street sales, and now also against sales from home. This way, the NVWA addresses all links in the chain of illegal vape trade.
Working Together
By producing, importing, and selling vapes and refills with sweet flavors, producers, importers, and sellers make prohibited products available that are particularly attractive to young people. Vapes are addictive and harmful to health. Through supervision and enforcement, the NVWA contributes to limiting the availability of tobacco and vapes for young people. This supports the goal of the National Prevention Agreement, which aims for a smoke-free generation by 2040.
To reduce the use of vapes among young people, alongside enforcement, educating young people and their parents is of great importance. It is essential to tackle this social problem together and protect young people from these attractive but highly addictive and harmful products. Therefore, the campaign No to Vaping is underway. Parents can find more information at: www.helderopvoeden.nl/nee-tegen-vapen.
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