Horror pics back on tobacco; e-cigarettes only for 18 : Health Sec.

Within a year the packaging of cigarettes and tobacco must consist of at least 65 percent of warning texts and pictures of all kinds of distasteful conditions that you get from smoking. There must also be an age restriction of 18 years for the sale of electronic cigarettes. In this manner State Secretary Martin van Rijn (Health) wants to tighten the anti-smoking policy, the Volkskrant reports. Van Rijn's proposal to change the Tobacco Act will be discussed in the Council of Ministers tomorrow. Van Rijn's wishes are largely an elaboration of an European directive. According to the European directive, the packaging of cigarettes, tobacco and hookah (hubbly) tobacco must become more unattractive. The warning texts that have been on these products in the Netherlands since 2002, must be replaced with photos and texts. The age restriction for the sale of the electronic cigarette is Van Rijn's own initiative.