RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Reducing attractiveness of e-liquids: proposal for a restrictive list of tobacco-related flavourings
JF Tobacco Control
JO Tob Control
FD BMJ Publishing Group Ltd
SP e41
OP e47
DO 10.1136/tc-2022-057764
VO 33
IS e1
A1 Pennings, Jeroen L A
A1 Havermans, Anne
A1 Krüsemann, Erna J Z
A1 Zijtveld, Dion
A1 Huiberts, Eva H W
A1 Bos, Peter M J
A1 Schenk, Erna
A1 Visser, Wouter F
A1 Bakker-'t Hart, Ingrid M E
A1 Staal, Yvonne C M
A1 Talhout, Reinskje
YR 2024
UL http://tobaccocontrol.bmj.com/content/33/e1/e41.abstract
AB Objective Electronic cigarettes are addictive and harmful, and flavour is a key factor determining their abuse liability. Both adult smokers and young non-smokers like sweet and fruity flavours in particular. In order to discourage e-cigarette use among youth, the Dutch government announced in 2020 to only allow tobacco flavours in e-liquids. We propose a restrictive list of flavourings that will only enable the production of e-liquids with a tobacco flavour.Methods We used e-liquid ingredient data notified via the European Common Entry Gate system before the government’s announcement. First, we classified all e-liquids into flavour categories, and continued with the set of flavourings present in tobacco e-liquids. Five selection criteria related to prevalence of use, chemical composition, flavour description and health effects were defined to compile a restrictive list of tobacco flavourings.Results E-liquids marketed as having tobacco flavour contained 503 different flavourings, some with tobacco flavour, but also other (such as sweet) flavours. We excluded (1) 330 flavourings used in <0.5% of e-liquids, (2) 77 used less frequently in tobacco than in all e-liquids, (3) 13 plant extracts, (4) 60 that are sweet or not associated with a tobacco flavour and (5) 7 flavourings with hazardous properties. This resulted in a final list of 16 flavourings.Conclusions Implementing this restrictive list will likely discourage e-cigarette use among youth, but could also make e-cigarettes less attractive as smoking cessation aid.Data (provided they are non-confidential) are available upon reasonable request.