The Dutch administrative court has issued a final ruling on so-called “cheating cigarettes”. The College van Beroep voor het bedrijfsleven (CBb) declared that the Nederlandse Voedsel- en Warenautoriteit (NVWA) does not need to use a stricter test method.
In 2018, Stichting Rookpreventie Jeugd asked the NVWA to inspect cigarettes with an alternative testing method. The foundation argued that standard lab tests ignore human behaviour. In real-world use, smokers block tiny filter ventilation holes with their fingers and lips. By covering these air holes, smokers inhale far more toxic chemicals than allowed under the Tobacco Directive. Research by the RIVM shows smokers absorb up to fifteen times more tar, nicotine, and carbon monoxide.
However, the CBb based its ruling on a judgment from the European Union Court of Justice. The court explained that the foundation cannot legally demand a test method outside official law.
The trade association Vereniging Nederlandse Sigaretten- en Kerftabakfabrikanten welcomed the verdict. The group stated that the decision proves “cheating cigarettes” do not exist. It noted that the law mandates only one required test method. Under this official method, cigarette emissions remain within legal limits.
@ anp | NEWS BRAINPORT
