China bans fruity e-cigarettes – but not their export to countries around the world

China has banned the sale of flavoured e-cigarettes. The new rules mean e-cigarettes that have flavourings other than tobacco – such as fruity or menthol flavourings – cannot be sold on the domestic market.

They can still be manufactured in China and exported around the world, including to Switzerland, where Chinese-made brands such as Elfbar, known for its range of flavoured disposable e-cigarettes, or electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS) are popular.

The ban in China, which comes into effect this October 2022, follows a tightening of other rules relating to e-cigarettes, including a ban on selling them online and an order for packaging to include warning labels that say they are harmful to health and must not be used by schoolchildren. It comes in response to concerns about underage vaping in China and is likely to severely affect its domestic e-cigarette market, which had been growing rapidly.

These remarkable policy developments in China demonstrate a disturbing understanding, whereby policy makers in China are aware of the risks e-cigarettes and their flavours pose yet are willing to continue the profitable production and sale to other countries.

E-cigarette exports from China have surged in recent years, increasing 180% in value from 2020 to 2021, according to the China Electronics Chamber of Commerce.

In Switzerland, the president of the Swiss Vape Trade Association stated that since the beginning of 2022, sales of disposable ENDS have been increasing by 30% every month and that they already represent 30% of the total ENDS market. Thus, if the monthly rate of increase holds steady until the end of the year, Switzerland will have experienced an increase in sales of these products by more than 2,200% in 2022.

Astonishingly, no bans on e-cigarette flavourings, regulations on packaging or reductions in point of sale are being considered in Switzerland.