Exclusive New Study: More Smoking, More Harm Under Failed Dutch Vape Ban

Exclusive New Study: More Smoking, More Harm Under Failed  Dutch Vape Ban
8 of 10 Dutch vapers admit that flavour ban for vapour products might push consumers back to smoking as flavours are important in their decision to switch and stay away from smoking.

24 March 2026. Amsterdam, Netherlands. A new consumer survey of more than 1000 Dutch vapers conducted by Dynata and commissioned by Prohibition Does Not Work provides one of the clearest pictures yet of the abject failure of the Netherlands banning vaping flavours.

·      95% of vapers say it is still easy to obtain banned flavours

·      More than three-quarters have seen banned products available during their last 10 purchases 

·      85% believe the ban risks pushing people back to smoking, which goes completely against why the government banned them

The survey also underscores the central role flavours play in harm reduction: more than a half of vapers in Netherlands use them due to health reasons, including stop or reduce smoking. 8 of 10 respondents say flavours are important to their decision to vape, and fruit and menthol flavours are consistently identified as key to switching away from smoking.

Despite the ban, consumer behaviour has not fundamentally changed. Around two-thirds of vapers report continuing to use fruit, menthol, or sweet flavours—now sourced through online, cross-border, or informal channels. This clearly shows the failure of the prohibition and de facto ban on vapour category introduced by the Government.

At the same time, there is strong support for an alternative approach: roughly three-quarters of respondents believe governments should support safer alternatives to smoking, and most favour more progressive policy approaches such as stricter enforcement of age restrictions (as accepted for other adult consumer products) rather than outright bans.  

This survey provides early, real-world evidence from consumers themselves: the Dutch flavour ban has not eliminated demand but simply changed where and how banned products are purchased - raising additional concerns about unintended consequences, product safety, and smoking rates.

You can download the survey results here.