In this article...
Six countries across the world have already banned flavoured e-liquid. The US, Finland, Ukraine, Estonia, Hungary and more recently Lithuania have all prohibited sale of liquid that contains flavour, apart from tobacco or menthol [1]. But is this really a good idea? Would banning flavoured vapes and e-liquid deter youth vaping? Or will it just turn more people back to smoking?
Flavoured Vapes: What’s the problem?
Under the recent advice of Sajid Javid, who served as Secretary of State for Health and Social Care from June 2021 to July 2022, officials are looking into strategies to create a ‘smoke free’ UK. Vaping is high on the agenda of recommendations to reduce smoking rates in the UK. However, one area that regularly comes into debate is around whether flavoured vapes and e-liquid should be banned [2].
The concern is largely in reaction to a World Health Organisation claim, and subsequent negative media, that flavoured liquids are being marketed towards people under the age of 18 [3]. Their argument is that e-liquids that have sweet flavours are more attractive to underage consumers. But despite these claims, evidence shows that adult smokers are overwhelmingly the target audience for these flavours. It’s certainly not only young people that enjoy sweet flavoured products. We have seen a similar surge in popularity of sweet flavoured food and drinks over recent years amongst adult consumers. For example, flavoured gin has seen a huge boom in popularity and increased demand. Premium gin brand, Boë Gin, recently completed a survey and found that 54% of gin drinkers between 18-34 preferred flavoured gins [4].
What Are The Consequences of Banning Flavoured Vapes?
The Royal College of Physicians have stated “if this approach also makes e-cigarettes less easily accessible, less palatable or acceptable…then it causes harm by perpetuating smoking” [5]. If flavoured vapes were banned in the UK it could greatly impact the use of vaping as a stop smoking tool.
82% of existing vapers would also be opposed to a flavour ban, as shown by research conducted by the International Tobacco Control Policy Evaluation Project. In this study, 20% of vapers suggested that they would return to smoking if flavoured e-liquid was no longer available. A further 13% were unsure.
All evidence suggests that the removal of flavoured e-liquids would be a huge step backwards for helping to reduce smoking rates in the UK.
Should E-Liquid Flavours be Banned?
In our opinion, absolutely not. With a wide range of flavours, vaping can be a tool to help adult smokers successfully move away from tobacco. When I first started vaping, I wanted to get as far away from anything that made me think about cigarettes as possible. For myself and many smokers this can mean the flavours and smells associated with smoking tobacco.
If you’re looking for a new flavour why not check out our own selection of e-liquid? There are plenty of flavours to chose from.
Sources
[1] Pod Salt Blog
[2] The Mirror
[3] World Health Organisation
[4] The Spirits Business
[5] Royal College of Physicians
