Since last October at least four children have been hospitalized with serious lung problems after using vapes to excess, according to child medicine association NVK. 

In one case, a child ended up in intensive care on a breathing machine because the impact on their lungs was so serious, paediatrician Marije van den Beukel told the AD on Tuesday. 

The NVK has for years campaigned for a nicotine-free society and also wants the e-cigarette to be banned. On Tuesday, around 100 of its members joined forces for a renewed attempt to stamp out the use of vapes by youngsters. 

According to figures from addiction institute Timbos, 22% of Dutch youngsters aged 12 to 25 smoked an e-cigarette in 2023 and two-thirds of them also smoked tobacco cigarettes. 

“For years, the tobacco industry has been trying to get people addicted to nicotine at as young an age as possible,” doctors told the AD. “First they did it sneakily with cigarettes, and now they are doing it with vapes.” 

Vaping is much cheaper than smoking cigarettes, which now cost around €11 per pack. By contrast, an electronic cigarette with the equivalent of two packets of cigarettes in terms of nicotine costs around €6. The Dutch banned the sale of flavoured liquids for vaping last year.