Flavors play a significant role in e-liquids, and they are loved by vapers as much as they are opposed by regulatory authorities. Let’s see a quick overview.
The United States is the main actor in the ‘fight’ against flavors, openly accused of bringing youth closer to the world of vaping: since 2018 there is talk of a flavor ban, then implemented by various cities and the United States, until January 2020 when the FDA announces that it will apply its regulations to certain classes of vaping products, including “any cartridge-flavored ENDS product (other than a tobacco or menthol ENDS product)”.
A partial prohibition also takes place in Saudi Arabia: few specific tastes are banned, while a wider list is permitted.
A stringent regulation of flavors is also applied by some European Member States: although TPD-II does not limit the flavorings, Finland, Hungary and Estonia, in their national transposition, allow the marketing of some specific flavored e-liquids only. Moreover, a special regulation takes place in the Netherlands, where flavors intended for vaping are subject to TPD-II and therefore must meet specific requirements.
In addition to not being homogeneous, the regulation of flavors is a topic of current discussion and often undergoes changes: in Estonia, for example, the use of menthol flavour should currently be re-admitted (it was banned in 2019 with all the flavors, with the exception of the taste and smell of tobacco).
In Lithuania, a bill is currently under discussion to ban flavorings different from tobacco ones from late 2021.
So, flavor regulation can vary quickly and greatly depending on the market: just take a double check with a regulatory assistant before marketing your flavored products!
Contact us for a complete description of restrictions of flavors in the markets of your interest!
