The Chinese government has issued a revised draft of its vaping products standards that includes a ban on domestic sales of products containing non-tobacco flavors.
The flavor rules, if finalized, will take effect May 1, along with stringent licensing requirements for manufacturers.
Public comments are being accepted on the new rules until March 17, but the decision to ban flavors will probably stick. The draft rules were cheered by the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, which claimed a flavor ban “is the right move to protect Chinese kids from these addictive products.”
The rules will also prohibit sales in China of refillable products and synthetic nicotine, and will limit e-liquid nicotine strength to 20 mg/mL. Additionally, the State Tobacco Monopoly Administration (STMA) will create a “unified national electronic cigarette transaction management platform,” where manufacturers, wholesalers and domestic Chinese retailers will conduct all business.
Jim McDonald – Vaping360 – 2022-03-16.