Hungarian tobacco control: not a clue about vaping

I've submitted a Freedom of Information Request to the National Institute for Health (the entity responsible for tobacco control in Hungary) regarding they National Youth Tobacco Survey 2013 (part of WHO's GYTS). Amongst many things (there are a lot of discrepancies) I've been curious about why they thought to query the youth whether they vape flavourless e-liquids to be a good idea.

This is not a joke, they asked the following question with the following options (the awkward wording is translated directly):

Over the past 30 days (1 month), while using an electronic cigarette, what kind of liquid was in the tank?

1. I don't use electronic cigarettes
2. I used liquid with nicotine
3. I used liquid without nicotine
4. I used flavoured liquid with nicotine
5. I used flavoured liquid without nicotine

So I asked them, why do they think it is important to poll non-flavoured e-liquid consumption amongst adolescents, when such thing is practically non-existent. Here is their answer:

The flavourings in tobacco products, beside the amount of consumption, might increase the health risks imposed by these products. At first try, or in case of female users, it is of importance that they might mask the unpleasant, harsh taste common to tobacco products. This might increase the frequency of consumption, the intensity of smoking and the amount of smoke inhaled.

The other important aspect of the flavourings in tobacco products is deception. Flavoured tobacco products with unique taste might seem to be less harmful, sending false messages in regard with smoking.

According to reports of the scientific literature flavourings that make tobacco products more attractive have an effect on the youth, and it might have an impact on making smoking a habit, therefore we find it important to learn about the opinions and usage patterns of the youth in this matter.

They treat vaping as a smoke emitting tobacco product, and they think that without the funny flavours vaping tastes like tobacco. If only. This was their idea of vaping three years ago, and apparently it hasn't changed a bit since then. They probably wanted to know whether kids prefer tobacco flavoured juices or others (which would have been an interesting topic), but they could not even ask the question properly. In their report they state that a total of 32.5% of the vaping kids were using unflavoured e-liquids. I can't really decide if their finding is more funny than pathetic, but one thing is certain: it is false.

We hear the "we don't know enough about vaping" argument often enough, but now there is proof: they really don't have the slightest clue about vaping, not even its very basics. And they dare to offer insight to the regulators on the matter.

These are the so called experts, whose expertise - according to the under-secretary of Public Health - is so solid and scientific, that it makes it unnecessary to listen to the consumers when it comes to regulation.