Czech Health Ministry Wants to Ban Sweet-Flavoured Electronic Cigarettes

The Czech Health Ministry is drafting an amendment to a decree that could significantly impact the e-cigarette industry.

The proposed changes would prohibit all flavours except tobacco, as well as sweeteners and other additives commonly used in e-cigarette liquids.

These regulations would apply solely to vaping products, leaving traditional cigarettes and other nicotine alternatives unaffected.

Industry representatives have responded with alarm, warning that this move could lead to the collapse of the entire sector.

“We are stunned. Without any prior consultation, the ministry is essentially planning to ban e-cigarettes in the Czech Republic,” said Robert Hrdlička, chairman of the Chamber of Electronic Vaping (KEVAP).

He argued that without the now-banned ingredients, tobacco-flavoured e-liquids would be unsellable. “The ministry is imposing an amateurish and uninformed view on what tobacco should taste like,” Hrdlička added.

In addition, a new excise tax on e-cigarettes is set to take effect in September, with further increases planned in the coming years. “The government’s approach is entirely illogical. First, they encourage e-cigarettes as a tool to reduce smoking, and now they’re essentially banning them,” Hrdlička criticized.

Experts in the e-cigarette field warn that such a ban could push users back to conventional cigarettes or encourage smuggling of e-liquids from abroad.

Currently, around 11% of the Czech population, approximately one million people, use e-cigarettes.

“E-cigarettes are among the least risky alternatives to smoking, as confirmed by numerous studies and experts. It is completely irrational for the state to target one category while ignoring the rest,” added Hrdlička.

Instead of outright prohibition, KEVAP suggests that the government focus on restricting access to e-cigarettes for minors, perhaps through licensed sales channels that would allow for better market oversight.

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