"Flavorings in e-liquids are important and without them, ex-smokers will fall back to regular cigarettes." So says Thomas Dallmann, Swedish e-juice manufacturer, commenting on Vejpkollen's review of Swedish politicians' position on flavor bans for e-cigarettes.
Read also: Swedish politicians believe in banning flavors in e-juice
Following Vejpkollen's review of how Swedish politicians see on flavors and e-cigarettes, many have reacted. The issue has not yet been publicly debated in Sweden. Nevertheless, a majority of political parties are in favor of banning flavors 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 see the positives that e-cigarettes bring. A significantly reduced nicotine addiction compared to cigarettes. A significantly reduced risk of cancer. The possibility of completely nicotine-free e-liquid or e-liquid with different nicotine strengths. This is a great way to kick your nicotine habit. But it doesn't seem to matter." says Thomas Dallmann, who runs the e-juice company Liquid Wonders to Vejpkollen.
Tighter restrictions to come
Many politicians believe 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 opposite. A government commission is expected to make proposals on tighter restrictions than those in place today.
Ex-smokers fall back into smoking
But according to Thomas Dallmann it is illogical that a zero cigarette policy includes restrictions on an alternative such as e-cigarettes. Unconfirmed research shows that e-cigarettes are effective in reducing tobacco use, he says. For smokers, e-cigarettes can reduce the risks of active nicotine addiction by more than 95 percent. Och Thomas Dallmann says that younger people are also losing 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 risky behavior will try what is available. That is, regular cigarettes. With a ban on flavors, there is also a high risk that all ex-smokers will fall back to regular cigarettes. And young people are at much greater risk of adopting a more harmful nicotine addiction" says Thomas Dallmann to Vejpkollen.
"The idea that smokers like tobacco flavors is not true"
Christian Democrats Michael Anefur believes that smokers should be able to make do with tobacco flavors to stay away from cigarettes. Fryer Vanecek, an e-cigarette retailer and active member of the E-cigarette Industry Body (BELC), argues that such a claim is based on shaky grounds. The idea that smokers would prefer tobacco flavors to other flavors is not true at all, he says.
"It is a fairly common belief 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 seeking some qualified data" says Fryer Vanecek.
Choosing other flavors in the end
He is supported by the e-juice manufacturer Linus Gustafsson, who runs the company Koyuki Vapor.
"Tobacco flavors can serve as a gateway for tobacco smokers. But the majority tend to later turn to other flavors, which do not have tobacco profiles. This was evident, for example, when stores in the US reported their sales figures in the run-up to a flavor ban in the US," says Linus Gustafsson. "When e-cigarette users in the EU were asked, the most common response was that they would return to traditional cigarettes if flavors were limited to tobacco flavors only"
High price for a "gut feeling"
Limiting it to tobacco flavors only would also be devastating for local e-juice producers and vejp shops, says Linus Gustafsson.
"The result of a taste ban would be that the majority of affected businesses would have to close down. Many would be thrown into unemployment, tax revenues would decrease and public health would deteriorate. It is an extremely high price to pay for a 'gut feeling' that flavors are the gateway for young people." says Linus Gustafsson.
It's time for the vejps to take responsibility and start mixing themselves instead, DIY. With some favorite essences at home you can stay away from the cigar. That's what I've been doing since 2015, started mixing after spending 500 on store-bought juice that was then no longer available, here are my recipes https://forum.e-liquid-recipes.com/u/Klickmans