The planned Dutch taste ban is receiving harsh criticism from consumer associations across the EU, not least from the Swedish NNA Sweden and the umbrella organization ETHRA, European Tobacco Harm Reduction Advocates.
"The demand for flavors other than tobacco does not disappear just because it is banned. Developments in countries like Estonia and Denmark show that flavor bans only lead to a huge black market," writes ETHRA.
The Dutch government actually wanted to introduce its comprehensive taste ban for e-cigarettes already last year. But doubts about which flavorings would remain allowed, as well as a change of health minister, delayed the introduction. Now the government has asked for a final round of consultations before the ban becomes law. In total, almost 1000 individuals and organizations have contacted the government.
And the criticism has been harsh. ETHRA, representing nearly 27 million European vejpers, organized through 25 organizations in 17 countries, believes that the taste ban will have devastating consequences.
"Removing adults' access to the most popular and effective smoking cessation tool will be detrimental to public health. Smoking will increase, especially in middle age and among the elderly - among the people most at risk of smoking-related health damage. It will also knock the feet out from under the legal e-cigarette industry in the Netherlands and we predict that the black market will flourish." ETHRA.
Taste bans do not stop young people
The Swedish NNA Sweden also fears that the black market will completely take over e-cigarettes in the Netherlands.
"We see that young people are not buying e-cigarettes on the open market. They are getting them through social media, but also rogue traders in convenience stores. And it's not us saying this, but the police. Organized criminals and drug dealers don't care about taste bans or age limits.", says Karl-Åke Johansson to Vejpkollen.
Should taste like rotten wood
The Dutch flavor ban differs from similar proposals, which appeared earlier in different parts of the world. Instead of banning everything except so-called tobacco flavors, the government wants to allow only a few flavors. These must be neither too sweet nor "appealing" and should remind the user of some kind of tobacco. A steel committee has named 16 flavorings as suitable. The vast majority impart notes of 'wet hay', 'rotting wood' and 'burnt caramel' in the e-liquid and some of them are already used in some so-called 'tobacco flavors'. Niklas Linder, e-juice manufacturer and active member of the Electronic Cigarette Industry Organization, believes that the analysis carried out by the investigators is entirely correct.
"If I were to make an e-juice that absolutely NOBODY would buy, I would use those very ingredients" notes Niklas Linder. "But on the other hand, that is the point of the taste ban".
Could have consequences for the whole EU
Vejpkollen Editor-in-Chief Stefan Mathisson has also commented on the Dutch taste ban in the magazine Snusforumet.
"The risk with this ban, if it becomes a reality, is that it will fuel the forces that also want to ban flavorings at EU level. The European Tobacco Products Directive (TPD) will be revised in the near future and the issue of flavorings will be on the agenda. If EU politicians follow the Dutch government's lead, it would have huge implications, not only for users and businesses, but for harm reduction as a concept. Without a variety of flavors, not only smokers but also would-be smokers, young and old, will choose cigarettes over e-cigarettes. Do we really want that?" says Vejpkollen in the Snus Forum.
Isn't it the tobacco taste we want to get away from? If different flavors disappear, I'm afraid that the stomach will go back to the tobacco, which will cost society much more than if you keep the flavors, but it should be a pure product where all ingredients are listed and that you deviate from additions that are dangerous.