China Cracks Down on Flavored E-Cigarettes In a decisive move, China has banned the sale of flavored e-cigarettes nationwide, a major step to curb underage vaping which has seen a steady rise. This landmark decision, effective from October 1, targets flavored vaping devices, while tobacco e-cigarettes remain unaffected.
The Impact: Could This Be the End of Vaping in China? This ban could be a game-changer. Tobacco e-cigarettes make up just a sliver of the market, so this new rule could potentially wipe out China’s vaping culture.
Online Sales and Warnings: Tightening the Noose The ban extends to online sales as well, with companies now mandated to label their products with health warnings, emphasizing their unsuitability for school children.
Relx: A Giant Falls Relx, once a titan in China’s vaping market with a 70% share, saw its stock value plummet by over 95% in the wake of this proposal. This ban is more than a setback; it’s a potential death knell for companies like Relx.
Export Continues: China’s Global Influence in Vaping Interestingly, while domestic sales face restrictions, China’s global export of these devices continues unabated. With a staggering $19 billion in exports in 2021, up 180% year-on-year, China’s influence in the global vaping market remains substantial.
US Market and Flavored Vapes: The Chinese Connection In the US, flavored disposable vaping devices, largely exported from China, now constitute a third of e-cigarette sales, a significant jump from less than 2% three years ago.
Global Trend: Health Concerns Prompting Regulation Initially hailed as a tool to quit smoking, the growing health concerns associated with vaping have led to stricter regulations worldwide. The European Union, in its move in June, proposed banning flavored heated tobacco products. “We want to make smoking as unattractive as possible,” stated EU health commissioner Stella Kyriakides. Similarly, the American FDA restricted flavors in Juul and other cartridge-based e-cigarettes to just tobacco and menthol in January 2020.
