Belgian minister urges EU-wide ban on ‘polluting and dangerous’ cigarette filters

Filtered cigarettes are as dangerous as those without filters and should be banned, Belgium’s environment minister told TobaccoIntelligence, supporting a call by the country’s Superior Health Council (CSS).

A recent study by the CSS highlighted that filters create a deceptive sense of safety and may even increase the level of carcinogenic substances in cigarette smoke. The report also pointed to the environmental impact of filters, which release microplastics as they break down.