News | RIVM

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.

Report on the developments of the National Immunisation Programme: national immunisation coverage increased slightly for the first time in five years

National immunisation coverage has increased for the first time in five years, for almost all vaccinations. For children born in 2017, vaccination coverage against mumps, measles and rubella (MMR) increased by 0.7% to 93.6%.

A pregnant woman can protect her baby against whooping cough with 22-week vaccination

From 16 December 2019, pregnant women in the Netherlands will be offered the 22-week vaccination. With this vaccination, a pregnant woman protects her child and herself against whooping cough.

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.

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

Step forward in the battle against pertussis

Addition of an extra adjuvant (additive) to the current pertussis vaccines could enhance the effectivity of these vaccines.

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.

Increase in number of additives in tobacco products

A total of 673 different types of additives are used by manufacturers in their tobacco products (cigarettes, cigars and pipe tobacco) and the number of additives used per tobacco product type incre