China Mulls Ban on Flavored E-Cigarettes

China will ban nontobacco flavors in e-cigarettes if an updated draft of standards for the vaping industry becomes law, reports Shine.

In November 2021, China’s State Council amended the country’s tobacco monopoly law to include vapor products and requested public input on its proposed regulations for the segment.

While the original proposal appeared to permit nontobacco flavors, the new draft, published on March 11, underlines the importance of reducing the appeal of e-cigarettes to youth, stating: “Flavors other than tobacco taste shall not be offered in products.” To be specific, 21 additives, referring to tastes like plum, rose and orange, are removed from the list.

As some U.S. states and European countries already have flavor bans in place, industry experts believe the new regulations may have a greater impact on the domestic market rather than exports.

In an interview with Securities Times, an unnamed industry insider said sales volumes of tobacco-flavored e-cigarettes in the domestic market are dwarfed by other flavors.

The March 11 publication sent stocks of Chinese vapor companies tumbling. Shares of RLX Technology, which had just reported strong revenues for 2021, dropped more than 36 percent and closed at $1.49 on the New York Stock Exchange on Friday.

The updated draft is now available on the State Tobacco Monopoly Administration’s website. The administration is asking for public feedback until March 17.