News | RIVM

Darker cigarettes and other measures to make cigarettes less appealing

There are a number of measures that can be implemented to make cigarettes less appealing and less addictive. For example, manufacturers could make cigarettes a darker colour. They could also stop using ingredients like sugars and flavourings.

Menthol facilitates inhalation of tobacco smoke, even when you cannot taste it

Even when menthol cannot be tasted, the substance makes it easier to inhale tobacco smoke. This way, menthol makes smoking more attractive for young and novice smokers who are not yet used to inhaling sharp, pungent tobacco smoke.

Graphit rain poses health risk

An assessment of potential health risks shows that graphite rain contains heavy metals and PAHs.

Young people who use screens before sleeping have more sleep problems

Young people (13-18 years) who use light-emitting screens daily in the hour before going to sleep have more sleep problems.

RIVM measures much higher levels of tar, nicotine and carbon monoxide in cigarettes

Tar, nicotine and carbon monoxide (TNCO) levels measured in accordance with the Canadian Intense (CI) method are at least twice as high as the levels measured in accordance with the prescribed ISO

Addictive nicotine and harmful substances also present in heated tobacco

Heated tobacco products are newly available on the market. An example of such a product is the heatstick which is heated with an iQOS, a device that looks like an e-cigarette.

RIVM withdraws from tobacco committees

The Dutch National Institute for Public Health and the Environment will leave the NEN/CEN/ISO committees for tobacco and e-cigarettes with immediate effect.

Alertness about the Zika virus still needed for pregnant women

Since May 2015, there has been a Zika virus outbreak in South and Central America, including the Caribbean. The Zika virus can cause birth defects, including microcephaly (small head size).

Assessment of health effects of alternative tobacco products

To assess the effects on the health of users of alternative tobacco products, more knowledge is required about the composition of the product, the smoker’s behaviour (such as the amount of cigarett

More tobacco products, number of additives stable

In 2014, the number of tobacco products on the Dutch market increased to 4212. This is a 5 percent increase compared to 2013.