Concerns over vaping have long focused on nicotine addiction among teenagers, but Belgium’s first-ever national drug commissioner has issued a stark new warning. Ine Van Wymersch says illegal e-cigarettes circulating among young people may conceal far more dangerous substances than previously assumed.
Speaking to Euronews, Van Wymersch revealed that a large majority of illicit vape refill capsules seized in Belgium were found to contain synthetic opioids. She warned that these substances are often impossible to detect, lacking distinctive smells or colours that might alert users.
“Of all the illegal refill capsules for vapes which we have seized, more than 80% contain synthetic opioids,” she said. “Children can get hooked without even knowing what they are consuming.” The findings have raised alarm among public health officials and law enforcement agencies alike.
Van Wymersch stressed that the health implications for minors could be severe and long-lasting. Exposure to opioids at a young age, she said, risks altering brain development and creating dependency before children understand the dangers involved.
“There is a real risk that their brain will not develop the way it should,” she noted. “These are serious health risks, and we must protect young people by tackling the logistical chains that criminals are abusing.”
Belgium, together with the Netherlands, plays a central role in Europe’s synthetic drug production landscape. While the chemicals used in these substances often have legitimate industrial or pharmaceutical purposes, authorities say criminal groups are exploiting regulatory gaps.
Many precursor chemicals originate in China and India before entering Europe legally. Once inside the EU, they are diverted for illegal drug manufacturing. “We have a strong petrochemical and pharmaceutical industry,” Van Wymersch said. “But these chains are being misused.”
She called for a coordinated European approach to better monitor and restrict how such chemicals enter and move within the EU. Without tighter controls, she warned, criminal networks will continue to exploit legal supply routes.
Another key concern is the appeal of flavoured vaping products. Fruit and candy flavours, critics argue, are designed to attract younger users and make illegal products easier to distribute among minors.
Belgian Health Minister Frank Vandenbroucke has proposed a complete ban on vape flavours, a measure that would place Belgium among the strictest regulators in Europe. The proposal is expected to be debated during government negotiations, though no timeline has been set.
Van Wymersch welcomed the move, saying flavoured vapes are being deliberately exploited by organised crime. “Criminal organisations take advantage of these flavours to introduce synthetic opioids to very young children,” she said.
Beyond health risks, authorities are increasingly concerned about the social impact of drug crime on vulnerable youths. Teenagers, including unaccompanied minor asylum seekers, are often targeted for recruitment by criminal groups.
Similar patterns have been observed in cities such as Marseille, where young people are drawn in by promises of fast money and luxury lifestyles. In Brussels, Van Wymersch said, limited access to student jobs or training opportunities leaves many youths exposed.
“If we don’t offer them real chances through education and employment, criminal organisations will offer them a criminal career,” she warned.
The broader threat, Van Wymersch argued, is the gradual corruption of institutions. Criminal networks, enriched by vast drug profits, seek to influence port workers, police officers, lawyers, and other key figures.
Earlier this year, an Antwerp investigating judge warned Belgium risked drifting towards becoming a “narco-state.” While rejecting the label, Van Wymersch acknowledged the danger is real if decisive action is not taken.
“We are not a narco-state, but we must act to ensure we never become one,” she said, adding that Europol has identified corruption as one of the most serious challenges facing Europe’s fight against organised crime.
“When we don’t tackle the business model behind these networks,” she concluded, “we risk allowing criminal power and money to undermine our society from within.”
