Category: Flavors

  • Denver, Colorado Again Passes Tobacco Flavor Ban

    Denver, Colorado Again Passes Tobacco Flavor Ban

    Credit: Marek Photo Design

    On Monday evening, the Denver City Council passed the final reading of an ordinance that will ban the sale of flavored tobacco products in the city. The ban passed by a vote of 11-1.

    The law, which still needs the signature of Mayor Mike Johnson, will go into effect in 90 days and will ban the sale of all forms of flavored tobacco, including cigars and pipe tobacco, as well as flavored vaping products. It does not apply to flavored tobacco intended to be smoked in a hookah that is sold at a hookah tobacco retailer.

    Retailers who violate the ban will face suspensions of their privilege to sell tobacco products should they receive two or more violations within the one-year window. Suspensions start at least 30 days and increase to a year for four or more violations. Additionally, that window will go wider in the coming years; as of Jan. 1, 2027, two violations in two years earn a 30-day suspension.

    A total of 34 individuals signed up to present comments to the council, which limited the public comment portion to 30 minutes before the vote. People came to speak in support of and in opposition to the ordinance; retailers told the council that a ban would hurt numerous businesses and cost the city tax revenue, as customers would take their businesses elsewhere. A council member indicated that 15 of the 18 municipalities that border Denver do not have similar bans in place.

    Retailers also said they would shift sales to the unregulated black market while taking ancillary purchases, usually made at convenience stores, into other cities and towns. One retailer noted that 536 tobacco retail stores in the city will be adversely affected by the ban. Other retailers also said that the council failed to adequately work with retailers in developing the ban and enforcing its existing laws on sales to minors.

    Speakers connected to law enforcement also suggested that it would fuel the growth of the black market, which comes with increased criminal activity and products of inferior quality that could pose an even greater health risk, Halfwheel reports.

    The Cigar Association of America wrote to the council to oppose the ban, saying in a Dec. 3 letter that “this blanket approach is a disproportionate and ineffective attempt to address any issues of youth usage, especially considering that the only facts and allegations presented as justification for the Proposed Ordinance relate to other product categories – such as vapor and cigarette products.”

    A representative from Mayor Mike Johnston told Denver7.com that “we’re committed to protecting youth health through common sense measures, and Mayor Johnston would be in support of this initiative should Council pass it.”

    The ordinance does not make it illegal to use a tobacco product, with city representatives telling the council that a person would not be stopped and cited for using a flavored tobacco product.

    In 2021, the Denver City Council passed a similar ban, only to have it vetoed by then-Mayor Michael Hancock. The council came up one vote short of overriding the ban.

  • Spain Begins Consultation on Vape Flavor Ban

    Spain Begins Consultation on Vape Flavor Ban

    Credit: Oleksii

    Spain has started a public consultation on new rules for vaping devices, reports Sur.

    The proposed legislation would ban the ban on the use of non-tobacco flavorings in e-cigarettes with the goal of making these products less attractive to young people.

    The decree also aims to regulate the labeling of electronic cigarettes without nicotine. As with traditional tobacco, they will have to have a list of ingredients and health warnings indicating that their consumption is harmful to health.

    They will also have to include a leaflet with information on contraindications and possible adverse effects.

  • The Hague Rules Dutch Flavored Vape Ban is Legal

    The Hague Rules Dutch Flavored Vape Ban is Legal

    Credit: GAPS Photo

    A court in The Hague has ruled that the Netherlands was allowed to introduce a ban on flavors in e-cigarettes to protect public health. The court ruled this in a substantive procedure initiated by tobacco products manufacturer British American Tobacco (BAT) and the related company Nicoventures. They consider the ban unlawful.

    The harmfulness of e-cigarettes and the “attractive effect” of sweet flavors on young people have been sufficiently established, the court stated.

    According to the 2020 ban, only certain flavors can be added to e-cigarettes, especially because young people are sensitive to other sweet tastes, according to media reports. The State also saw indications that the sweet-tasting e-cigarette will eventually encourage people to smoke regular cigarettes, while the government is aiming for a “smoke-free generation” in 2040.

    According to the court, any encouragement to smoke regular cigarettes does not need to be scientifically proven for a ban. The harmfulness of the e-cigarette and the attractive effect of the sweet flavors on young people justify the flavor ban in themselves, the judgment stated.

    The plaintiffs felt the ban violated the free traffic of goods within the European Union. They felt there was no evidence to suggest that the ban on flavors is good for public health. They also stated that the ban could have an adverse effect because fewer smokers will stop trying to quit smoking with the aid of e-cigarettes.

    But this possible disadvantage does not carry enough weight, the court ruled. The State has the “political discretion to give more weight to the interests of the youth and of a future smoke-free generation in the context of public health.”

    The court acknowledges that the ban on flavors infringes on the free movement of goods but says that such an infringement is permitted to protect public health if it is “appropriate, necessary, and proportionate.”

  • Denver City Council Going for Flavor Ban … Again

    Denver City Council Going for Flavor Ban … Again

    A trio of Denver City Council members is proposing a ban on the sale of all flavored tobacco products in the Colorado capitol.

    The effort comes three years after then-Mayor Michael Hancock vetoed a similar ban, following months of debate and intense lobbying on both sides of the issue, including from tobacco industry interests. A different lineup of council members crafted that measure.

    “We think this is important because it’s a public health issue impacting our community,” Councilman Darrell Watson said on Monday after a committee hearing that previewed the proposal. He had helped lay out the specifics of the proposed ban, which — like its predecessor — would outlaw the sale of flavored vaping cartridges and a wide swath of other flavored products, including menthol cigarettes.

    Watson’s co-sponsors are Councilwomen Shontel Lewis and Serena Gonzales-Gutierrez. None of the three served on the council in 2021 when Hancock vetoed the previous bill. The council later came one vote short of mustering the nine necessary to overturn the veto, according to media.

    Unlike his predecessor, Mayor Mike Johnston, who took office in mid-2023, has already committed to signing a flavored tobacco ban law if it makes it to his desk.

    Monday’s meeting was only a briefing. The ban still needs to be approved by the council before it can be considered for a final vote. The next step for the planned proposal—a hearing before the council’s Safety, Housing, Education, and Homelessness committee—could come as soon as next week.

  • Canada’s Health Minister: “Flavor Ban Coming Soon”

    Canada’s Health Minister: “Flavor Ban Coming Soon”

    The minister of mental health and addictions says the federal government will ban most vape flavors across Canada soon — more than three years after Ottawa first promised to bring in the regulations.

    “We have made a commitment from the start to restrict flavors. We haven’t wavered from that,” Ya’ara Saks told CBC News.

    “We will have this in place soon. I don’t anticipate this is going to take much longer.” She did not specify a timeline.

    Saks’ promise comes after a coalition of anti-tobacco health groups held a press conference in Ottawa earlier this month to call on Saks to introduce the ban swiftly or resign.

    They accused her of bowing to vaping industry pressure by failing to finalize the regulations this spring, as the federal government had planned.

  • Philippines Urged to Regulate Flavors in Nicotine

    Philippines Urged to Regulate Flavors in Nicotine

    Photo: Borgwaldt Flavors

    Researchers urged the Philippine government to regulate flavored tobacco and mandate plain packaging, citing the country’s obligation as a signatory to the World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, reports The Manila Times.

    “Historically, tobacco companies have used flavoring agents to enhance the appeal of tobacco consumption, encourage initiation and experimentation of tobacco use, and sustain tobacco use,” researchers of the Ateneo de Manila University were quoted as saying. 

    “However, the Philippines currently does not regulate flavored tobacco products, despite the increasing market shares of flavored tobacco products and novel technologies, such as crushable capsules.”

    In a recent study of 106 cigarette and cigar products, only 62 turned out to have flavor descriptors.

  • Kansas City Council Pushes Pause on Flavor Ban

    Kansas City Council Pushes Pause on Flavor Ban

    The Kansas City Council postponed an Oct. 10 vote on a proposed ban on selling flavored nicotine products in Kansas City.

    The ban, if passed, is tentatively set to take effect the first of the year.

    At the council meeting, many said the ban, introduced less than a week ago, is being rushed.

    Some local retailers say they want council members to vote against the ban, citing that around 35% of their income is based on these sales. They say the financial effects could be devastating because sales support both the local economy and employee salaries, according to media reports.

    The council held its first reading on the proposed ban on Oct. 3, the first many retailers said they’d heard of these plans to outlaw the sale of flavored tobacco products.

    Retailers claim the rushed process is disrespectful because the city failed to provide time for those impacted to voice their concerns. The city council is also aware of the significant tax revenue lost if this ban is passed. The ban would move sales to nearby cities where flavored tobacco remains legal.

    A vote on the ban in currently scheduled for late October.

  • Trump Says He Will Save Flavored Vapes if Elected

    Trump Says He Will Save Flavored Vapes if Elected

    Photo: Alexander

    Former U.S. President Donald Trump said he will save flavored e-cigarettes if re-elected, according to Newsmax.

    “I saved flavored vaping in 2019, and it greatly helped people get off smoking,” Trump wrote in a Sept. 20 post on his Truth Social account. “I raised the age to 21, keeping it away from the ‘kids.’ Kamala and Joe want everything banned, killing small businesses all over the country. I’ll save vaping again.”

    In his first term, Trump promised to crack down on sales of flavored products but then backtracked, saying vaping could help people stop smoking. Trump’s watered-down proposal banned the sale of all sweet and fruity flavored vape pods and cartridges but allowed gas stations and convenience stores to continue selling menthol cartridges and vapes. It also allowed vape shops to sell a broad range of e-cigarette liquids in open-tank vaping systems.

    Free market advocates and small business vape shop owners and vape-makers supported the new proposals while anti-tobacco advocates accused Trump of caving to pressure from the nicotine business.

    VTA’s meeting with President Trump represents a great day for small businesses across America who fear the Biden-Harris administration’s efforts to shut down small businesses and deprive adults who smoke of their flavored vaping products.

    Tony Abboud, executive director, VTA

    The Vapor Technology Association (VTA) welcomed Trump’s latest comments.

    “Today, VTA had the opportunity to meet with President Donald J. Trump,” wrote VTA Executive Director Tony Abboud on Sept. 20. “We had a wide-ranging conversation, and we thanked President Trump for taking two bold and decisive actions in 2019: Saving flavored vapes for adults and protecting youth by raising the age to 21.”

    “Since then, youth vaping has dropped to an all-time low, and many adults have used flavored vaping to quit smoking. VTA’s meeting with President Trump represents a great day for small businesses across America who fear the Biden-Harris administration’s efforts to shut down small businesses and deprive adults who smoke of their flavored vaping products. We are pleased that former President Trump is continuing to fight for vapers.”

  • DKiss Menthol Flavoring to Exhibit at InterTabac

    DKiss Menthol Flavoring to Exhibit at InterTabac

    Menthol cigarettes and menthol-flavored heated tobacco sticks are strictly banned in multiple countries, including Canada, Ethiopia, the European Union, Moldova, Turkey, the United Kingdom, and specific regions of the United States like California, the District of Columbia, and Massachusetts.

    In an effort to satisfy menthol consumers, Dekang Biotech Co. Ltd., an established player in the vaping industry, developed the DKiss menthol flavor roll-on. According to the company, the innovative product is set to transform the smoking experience in several ways.

    “It is the easiest way to flavor cigarettes. The DKiss Menthol Flavor Roll-On is distinguished by its innovative roll-on design, ensuring a clean and convenient application process while allowing users to adjust the intensity based on their preferences,” a Dekang representative said.

    The DKiss menthol flavor roll-on can be used with both traditional cigarettes and heated tobacco sticks for heat-not-burn nicotine delivery systems. It caters to a diverse audience by providing a wide variety of flavor options, including flavors specifically designed for individuals sensitive to cigarette odors.

    DKiss menthol roll-on allows smokers to flavor their own cigarettes. In addition to menthol, the Dkiss line offers several other mixed flavors derived from plant extracts, such as loquat and ginseng, blended with menthol. This helps remove the bad breath caused by smoking. It brings the most satisfying fragrance to add a new dimension to your inhalation experience, according to Dekang.

    “This product effectively eradicates cigarette odors and bad breath caused by smoking, serving as a discreet solution for smokers,” the representative said. “Mint enthusiasts will appreciate the refreshing mint flavor variant, which cleverly balances the taste of the cigarette and the unpleasant smell it creates, making it an ideal choice for menthol cigarette lovers.”

    Dekang will showcase its DKiss menthol roll-on brand and its other innovative product lines during the InterTabac industry trade show (booths 5.D14 and 1B.A28), which will be held in Dortmund, Germany, from Sept. 19 – 21, 2024.

  • Irish Health Minister Proposes Vape Flavor Ban

    Irish Health Minister Proposes Vape Flavor Ban

    Irish Health Minister Stephen Donnelly proposed bans on non-tobacco vape flavors and advertising in non-specialized shops, reports The Irish Times. He tabled the suggestions as Ireland’s cabinet approved restrictions on disposable vapes on Sept. 9.

    Donnelly said the proposals are aimed at protecting children, who he believed were “very cynically” targeting children. The proposed legislation, he said, would see just one flavor, tobacco, being sold.

    “We live in a country where around 13 percent of people between the ages of 12 and 17 have vaped in the last 30 days,” said Taoiseach Simon Harris, who described vaping as “the revenge of the tobacco industry.”

    Minister of State for Public Health Colm Burke said the regulations are necessary because “many people who used vaping products subsequently moved on to smoking.”