Many flavoured vape products are now illegal in the United States.
Under the reasoning that it poses a danger to young people drawn in by delicious-sounding flavours and colourful marketing campaigns. So what does this mean for the global vape industry, and how can we responsibly continue to market vapes? Here's what we think.
Why did the United States Ban Flavoured Vape Products?
A few years ago, vaping was making news due to a sudden outbreak of vape-related lung illnesses. This was a wake-up call for consumers and the government alike. Consumers realised they had to be more careful about the brands they trusted, and the government recognized the need to regulate vape products to keep people safe.
In February 2020, the United States enacted a new law: a "flavour ban" on flavoured, cartridge-based vaping products. As a result, this blocked the sale of more than 55,000 vape products. Under this law, new flavoured tobacco products cannot be introduced to the U.S. market. Products that existed before the ban risk enforcement.
This rationale behind the band was that flavoured vape products are particularly appealing to young people. The FDA maintains that vape products pose a public health threat to youth, as they were mainly marketed with colourful packaging and fun-sounding flavours.
This ban significantly impacted vape brands, especially small to medium-sized e-cigarette companies. Some states have strict laws against flavoured e-liquids, others are more lenient. While the vape industry is not dead in the U.S., it has become much harder for many small businesses. Many companies have switched to selling only tobacco or menthol flavoured e-liquid.
Whether the U.S. flavour ban will accomplish its goal of keeping vaping out of the hands of young people, only time will tell.
