"Flavours in e-liquids are important and without them, ex-smokers will fall back to regular cigarettes." So says Thomas Dallmann, a Swedish e-juice manufacturer, commenting on Vejpkollen's review of how Swedish politicians are responding to a flavour ban on e-cigarettes.
See also: Swedish politicians believe in banning flavours in e-juice
Following Vejpkollen's review of how Swedish politicians see on flavours and e-cigarettes, many have reacted. The issue has not yet been publicly debated in Sweden. Nevertheless, a majority of political parties are in favour of banning flavours in e-liquid. Similar bans are already in place in Finland and soon in Denmark.
"Those of us who know about e-cigarettes can only appeal to politicians to recognise the benefits of e-cigarettes. A significantly reduced nicotine addiction compared to cigarettes. A significantly reduced risk of cancer. Possibility of completely nicotine-free e-liquid or e-liquid with different nicotine strengths. This is a good way to phase out your nicotine addiction. But that doesn't seem to matter." says Thomas Dallmannwho runs the e-juice company Liquid Wonders to Vejpkollen.
Tougher restrictions to be expected
Several politicians say that more research on health effects is crucial for the future of e-cigarettes. At the same time, there is a general view that young people should be protected from using the products. The government's strategy to reduce smoking therefore includes neither e-cigarettes nor smokeless nicotine products. Quite the contrary. A government-commissioned inquiry is expected to come up with proposals on more stringent restrictions than those that exist today.
Ex-smokers fall back into smoking
But according to Thomas Dallmann it is illogical that a political zero vision for cigarettes includes restrictions on an alternative such as e-cigarettes. Independent research shows that e-cigarettes are effective in reducing tobacco use, he says. For a smoker, e-cigarettes can reduce the risks of active nicotine addiction by 1.5 per cent. more than 95 per cent. And Thomas Dallmann argues that younger people also lose out as the availability of e-cigarettes decreases.
"What politicians don't see is that if e-cigarettes become less available, young people who already have a risky behaviour will try what is available. That is, regular cigarettes. With a ban on flavours, there is also a high risk that all ex-smokers will revert to regular cigarettes. And young people are at much greater risk of adopting a more harmful nicotine addiction," says Mr Perez. Thomas Dallmann to Vejpkollen.
"It is not true that smokers like tobacco flavours"
Christian Democrats Michael Anefur believes that smokers should be able to make do with with tobacco flavours to stay away from cigarettes. Fritte Vanecek, an e-cigarette retailer and an active member of the E-cigarette Industry Organisation (BELC), argues that such a claim is based on shaky grounds. The idea that smokers would prefer tobacco flavours to other flavours is not true at all, he says.
"It is a fairly common perception that a tobacco smoker wants tobacco instead of strawberry milkshake or fruit cocktail in their e-cig. But that's not what sales look like. I'm surprised that people don't understand better. They should look at some statistics, instead of making banal assumptions. Our politicians are 'guessing' instead of looking for some qualified data", says Mr Perez. Fritte Vanecek.
Choosing other flavours in the end
He is supported by the e-juice manufacturer. Linus Gustafssonwho runs the company Koyuki Vapor.
"Tobacco flavours can act as a gateway for tobacco smokers. But the majority tend to later turn to other flavours that do not have tobacco profiles. This was evident when stores in the US reported their sales figures ahead of a flavour ban in the US," says Linus Gustafsson. "When e-cigarette users in the EU were asked, the most common answer was that they would go back to traditional cigarettes if the flavours were limited to tobacco flavours only."
High price for a 'gut feeling'
A restriction to only tobacco flavours would also be devastating for local e-juice manufacturers and retailers, according to vejp. Linus Gustafsson.
"The result of a flavour ban would be that the majority of affected businesses would go out of business. Many would be thrown into unemployment, tax revenues would be reduced and public health would deteriorate. This is an extremely high price to pay for a 'gut feeling' that flavours are a gateway for young people." says Linus Gustafsson.
It's time for vejpers to take responsibility and start mixing themselves instead, DIY. With a few favourite essences at home, you can stay away from the cigarette. I've been doing this since 2015, started mixing after spending 500 on store-bought juice that was no longer available, here are my recipes. https://forum.e-liquid-recipes.com/u/Klickmans