You may have heard the recent news that some European countries are planning to ban, or have already banned flavoured e-liquids, and taxing other flavours like tobacco that remain.
Fruity and sweet e-liquid as well as menthol flavour combinations have helped a number of people quit smoking long term. They allow many people to dissociate from traditional tobacco cigarette tastes and are much more enticing in comparison to tobacco smells.
Smoking in the UK is the largest cause of preventable diseases such as Cancer and also affects children and babies due to the side effects of second-hand smoke. Vaping, however, is 95% less harmful than smoking and eradicates the chance of damage caused by second-hand smoke.
The main reason for this new ban is the effect smoking has had on children, in the Netherlands 75 children start smoking every day, and their government are afraid that with the rise of vaping, this may begin to happen with e-cigarettes. The European countries that want to enforce the ban believe that young children will be seduced by 'exotic' and 'attractive' flavours. However, what these European governments have failed to consider is that smoking rates among adults and teens may increase.
Vaping products are strictly for adults, and we do not condone the use of any vape kit or e-liquid to be used by children and teens under 18.
So, how does this ban affect us? Will the e-liquid flavour ban happen in the UK? We are here to answer all of your questions surrounding this shocking potential ban on flavoured e-liquids around Europe.
What is a Flavour Ban?
Where is the e-liquid flavour ban?
Is it likely to happen in the UK?
Keeping Children Safe
What is a Flavour Ban?
A ban is an official legal prohibition of something.
Similar to the outlawing of the sale of menthol cigarettes in May 2020 in the UK and the policies from the Tobacco Control Act that included restrictions on tobacco advertising, increased taxation on cigarettes, the restriction of sales to children, and the smoking ban in public places, an e-liquid flavour ban would not allow people to purchase particular liquids through legal means.
Although some of the tobacco bans may have been beneficial, while vaping is the best way for many former smokers to quit smoking, this ban could likely deter them from trying out vaping and choosing a healthier alternative.
Where is the E-Liquids Flavour Ban?
Currently, countries such as the Netherlands, are planning on implementing the ban of flavoured e-liquids this summer, it was originally proposed in 2020, however, the general public was not very receptive, to say the least.
In the Netherlands 3.1percent of adults vape, and with the addition of the ban over a quarter of a million vapers may return to smoking.
Some other countries are considering implementing the ban, but some countries have already begun administering this ban.
So far three European countries have begun carrying out this flavour ban, including Estonia, Finland and Hungary. However, no European country has a complete vape ban aside from the Vatican City.
Vaping has faced such regulatory resistance over the years widely due to the fact that it is massively misunderstood, and people and officials often lump vaping with smoking. Vaping was originally invented as a quit-smoking tool and targets adult smokers - particularly long term heavy smokers. Flavoured E-liquid plays a massive role in helping people lower their tobacco intake.
Is it likely to happen in the UK?
After the last few years it is hard to judge what will actually happen in the UK, but considering the massive strides vaping has made in recent years it's unlikely we'll see many changes that won't support people switching to vaping.
The World Health Organisation rarely exercises their law-making powers, but have been known to negotiate with two major organisations the International Health Regulations and the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, so enforcing these bans on vape liquid is highly unlikely, but not impossible.
This year we have seen massive health organisations like Public Health England which have supported the fact that vaping and e-liquids is the best nicotine replacement therapy in helping people quit smoking. We have even seen the NHS and UK Government consider prescribing vape kits to encourage vaping cessation.
So, with that much support, we really don’t see our government doing a 360 and adding restrictions that may influence someone to turn to smoking instead of vaping.
Keeping Children Safe
The UK government has set some rules with vaping and smoking that details under 18's are not legally permitted to vape or smoke.
For us, it is immensely important for us to ensure young people are safe from vaping and cigarettes.
We do a number of checks and restrictions to ensure only people that are legally permitted can vape, these include:
- Regulated Age Verification checks on all orders
- Prohibition of others buying for younger people
- In our store, we use the ‘think 25’ method and conduct ID checks to prevent any underage people from purchasing our products
In this way, adults can safely use e-liquid and vaping products to stop smoking, without the fear of risking injury to underage children.
What do you think about these new e-liquid bans across Europe? Have your say below!
1 comment
Its backwards thinking. If they banned cigarettes, other tobacco products AND THEN vaping i would understand. Its hypocritical at the very least. Being worried about the general health risks of tobacco makes sense but then banning the safest form of nicotine ingestion and not the most dangerous makes zero sense.