On March 11, China announced that the State Tobacco Monopoly Administration would implement further regulations on the e-cigarette industry in the country.
Starting on May 1, 2022, sales and trading management regulations will come into effect, banning the sale of flavored vapes. Outlets will also be prohibited from being established near schools.
The new regulations are an amendment to those originally brought in on December 2, 2021. The most significant change is the prohibition of sales of different flavors. When the regulations take effect, consumers will only be able to buy tobacco flavored products.
Sixth Tone reported that several e-cigarette outlets in Shanghai have already sold out of popular flavors such as cola and grape as users rush to stock up.
The article by Sixth Tone also states that China has over 1,500 manufacturers of vape products supplying to over 5 million people.
E-cigarette sales in the country reached RMB19.7 billion in 2021.
In November 2021, China announced that vapes and related products would be subject to the same laws and regulations as tobacco products.
On December 2, China’s State Tobacco Monopoly Administration published a draft of the Administrative Measures for E-Cigarettes, which have since been amended to the regulations announced on March 11.
However, industry experts have warned that strict regulations on e-cigarettes could drive users towards regular cigarettes, which are much more harmful to health.
Samuel Clegg, a British national living in Guangzhou, told That’s he would “consider giving up vaping altogether and just smoke regular cigarettes.”
Clegg went on to say the taste of tobacco-flavored vapes is worse than that of cigarettes.
In 2019, Truth Initiative released a report that showed that 97% of people who vape use flavored e-cigarettes.
The FDA has warned that vaping can lead to lung disease,injury and seizures and other neurological symptoms. There have also been cases of the e-cigarettes themselves overheating and causing fires and explosions.
Relx is China’s largest e-cigarette outlet. The Shenzhen based business has popular flavors such as 'Berry,' 'Drunk Grape' and 'Ice Cola'.
READ MORE: How This Chinese E-Cigarette Brand is Vaporizing the Competition
[Image via Wikimedia]
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