Tobacco flavors only - or no flavor at all. This could be the future of e-juices and e-cigarettes in Sweden if Parliament were to decide today.
"Flavors should be banned. There is no need to flavor with different enticing flavors that appeal to young people" says Lena Emilsson (s) to Vejpkollen
A majority of Swedish political parties would consider, at least partially, banning flavors in e-cigarettes and e-liquid. This is according to a survey conducted by Vejpkollen. The concern that e-cigarettes attract young people is great. At the same time, several parties believe that vejp users should be satisfied with tobacco flavors. Or no flavor at all.
"Is it really the case that vejpningen as an alternative is less attractive just because flavoring disappears? I don't think so" says Lena Emilsson, spokesperson for the Social Democrats on tobacco issues, to Vejpkollen.
CAN: Curiosity more important than taste
The Swedish Association for Alcohol and Drug Education (CAN) regularly conducts statistical surveys on tobacco habits in Sweden. Since 2014, the reports have also included questions on young people's use of electronic cigarettes. The proportion of young people who have tried e-cigarettes has steadily increased since then. In 2018, between 32% and 41% of children in grade 9 and the second year of upper secondary school had tried an e-cigarette. One percent of high school students were regular users. According to CAN, young people follow the same pattern as adults when it comes to vejping. Nearly 200,000 people over the age of 18 use e-cigarettes in Sweden in 2021. Around 70,000 of these are daily users. The majority are former smokers.
"As in the adult population, students who smoked were more likely to have tried e-cigarettes than students who did not smoke. It appears that the most common reason for young people to try e-cigarettes is curiosity" writes CAN.
S: "Ban flavors"
But according to Lena Emilsson it is the flavors that attract young people more than anything else. Regardless of what CAN's survey shows.
"There is no need to flavor with different enticing flavors that appeal to young people. Flavoring of e-cigarettes should be banned." she tells Vejpkollen.
Young smokers don't believe they would use e-cigarettes to quit smoking Lena Emilsson on.
"It's not good for young people to start using e-cigarettes at all. Since it's usually not about smoking cessation, it's not good," she told Vejpkollen.
KD: "Reasonable to review flavoring"
Even the opposition parties see flavoring as problematic when it comes to e-cigarettes.
"The risk with flavored products is that it entices non-smokers to try them. Flavoring with candy-like flavors feels like a marketing ploy to get young and former non-smokers in particular to think it's good. For our part, it may be reasonable to review the possibility of limiting flavoring" says Michael Anefur (kd) to Vejpkollen.
Michael Anefur believes that smokers should be able to settle for fewer flavors to stay away from cigarettes.
"Anyone switching from regular smoking to e-cigs should in most cases like the tobacco taste" says Michael Anefur to Vejpkollen
Flavors of e-cigarettes crucial for smokers
According to several UK and EU related studies flavors matter when smokers switch to electronic cigarettes. Although most people start with tobacco flavors, the studies clearly show that fruit flavors and menthol become more common as former smokers get used to using e-cigarettes. According to UK researchers, variety is key to reducing relapse to smoking.
"We see a pattern that shows that those who manage to stay away from cigarettes do so by gradually moving to more advanced devices combined with a shift from tobacco flavors to fruit, candy and pastry flavors," the researchers write in Harm Reduction Journal.
C: "Need to follow developments"
While the discussion on taste bans is ultimately a matter for Parliament and the Social Affairs Committee, several politicians are calling for more research in this area. Centers believes that there are many questions surrounding vejpning.
"There is still a lot of uncertainty about the effects of e-cigarettes because there are no long-term studies. Even non-nicotine e-liquids often contain other harmful substances. We need to follow the development of knowledge and cannot exclude that we need to do more to limit their use. Regulation of flavorings may therefore be a possibility, but here too we need the expertise of the expert authorities," writes the Center Party via press secretary Amanda Florin to Vejpkollen.
V: "Can't decide without more knowledge"
In the context of regulating flavoring, the discussion is equally about protecting young people from exposure to nicotine products. Karin Rågsjö (v) says that any exposure ban on tobacco products would also apply to e-cigarettes. At the same time, she agrees that more research is needed on young people's use habits.
"We need to know more about who is using e-cigarettes. Is it young people who are attracted? It's nicer than cigarettes, I think. But does it lead them to start smoking?" says Karin Rågsjö to Vejpkollen.
Karin Rågsjö says it is not possible to make progress on the issue, let alone make decisions, without first looking at the research.
"We cannot make decisions without knowing more. We have to start from the health risks. The research should be part of the same research as for tobacco." says Karin Rågsjö.
SD: Make tobacco laws work better
The Sweden Democrats, who have previously had an explicitly positive view of e-cigarettes as tobacco harm reduction, believe that the taste issue is more about marketing than about the flavors themselves.
"Marketing and flavoring must not target young people" says Christina Östberg, Member of Parliament in the Social Committee for SD, to Vejpkollen.
According to the Sweden Democrats, the issue is more about getting young people to comply with the laws that already exist.
"One problem is that teachers and police are helpless when students smoke outside schools. It is forbidden to smoke on school grounds, but young people only need to walk a few extra meters and they can smoke in peace. The Tobacco Act needs to be tightened to allow the police (and the headmaster) to confiscate tobacco when a minor is using it. Inform children as early as middle school about the harm of smoking, and not just at one time." Christina Östberg.
Inquiry into e-cigarettes
At the end of March, the government's report on e-cigarettes and other tobacco-like products will be presented to Parliament. This will also include proposals for possible tightening of the law on e-cigarettes.
Vejpkollen has reached out to representatives of the Moderate, Liberal and Green parties for comments on flavoring in e-cigarettes, but is still awaiting a response.
