Tobacco Harm Reduction is an expression for a public health approach that focuses on reducing the adverse effects that smoking Tobacco has on one’s health. Numerous THR groups all over the globe share the same aim to minimize the harmful effects of smoking Tobacco while promoting healthier alternatives like E-cigarettes.
But, there’s been a significant setback for the THR group in Germany due to a new idea proposed by the German Medical Association to ban all flavors of vape juice within Germany according to what they describe as “a necessary move to prevent Nicotine addiction.”
In this article, I’ll review the proposal and statement made by the GMA and the response of the BVRA (a Tobacco Harm Reduction group based in Germany that focuses on using electronic cigarettes and Vape Juice as an alternative and safer smoking option.
The German Medical Association requested to ban flavored vape juice.
In 2022, the Tobacco Products Act and Tobacco Products Ordinance were amended to it that was to end the flavor options that are available today to Heated tobacco products (HTPs) to stop Nicotine addiction from occurring and reduce their appeal to specific target groups.
This is expected to occur in the coming months. If you’re unaware, Heated Tobacco Products differ from electronic cigarettes because they use authentic tobacco leaves. However, instead of burning Tobacco, as in cigarettes, the Tobacco is heated. This will eliminate the danger of carcinogens forming, typically used in smoking cigarettes.
Now fast ahead to January of this year, it is reported that the German Medical Association have recently called for modifying TPA/TPO to include the ban of ALL flavored additives, whether or not they are used in E-Cigarettes.
Their motivation is that the goal should be
“To reduce the attractiveness of electronic cigarettes for adolescents and young people, but also older nonsmokers and smokers.”
This is an argument we’ve heard in other countries where they are considering or implementing flavor bans, keeping young people’s and teens’ best interests at the forefront of why these bans are in place.
They feel that the flavorings make E-cigarettes that contain nicotine popular with younger buyers, and the wide range of flavors is among the primary reasons that so many youngsters are smoking E-cigarettes.
Something isn’t quite right in the above statement from The German Medical Association.
As I said, the case of protecting adolescents and youth from the temptation to smoke electronic cigarettes because of their “attractive flavors” has been observed across the globe in various countries that want to establish similar rules and limitations. However, what doesn’t appear logical in that argument is the last part of the argument, which is bringing in the group that comprises “older nonsmokers and smokers,” for me, it creates some sense of paradox, and I’ll discuss why.
I can see how they could appeal to nonsmokers; however, if you look at a study that was conducted by BVRA for consumers of electronic cigarettes from Germany from July to 2022, among the 1771 people who responded, more than 97% admitted that they used to smoke, before utilizing an E-Cigarette however just 2.2 percent of them being “never-smokers.”
The idea of classifying “older nonsmokers” is an odd choice. This could be just my opinion, but typically “older” people are much more likely not to get influenced or attracted by particular things compared to how young or a teenager might be.
The pressure of peers and the need to be a part of and stay up to date with the latest fashions, along with a young person’s naive and exciting character, occurs frequently during adolescence but not as often when someone is older. Therefore, it is odd that they’ve chosen the category of “older nonsmokers” as a category of people to be concerned about here.
Why would they seek to diminish the appeal of E-cigarettes and flavors for smokers? They must like to advertise E-Cigarettes and flavors to smokers so that they’d be motivated to quit smoking, and that, in turn, lower costs to the country due to medical care if they develop a disease related to smoking and also reduce the rate of death, that is a significant percentage of the deaths caused by smoking.
As I said that this is odd to me. It’s an unproductive approach. However, that’s my opinion.
Why do bans on flavors hurt the majority of people more so than it helps?
I’ve dealt with this issue numerous times in earlier articles on countries looking to ban or have already banned flavors, like Australia, Holland, and China. However, bans on flavored E-Liquid will hinder the majority of people rather than it does benefit.
I do not know about you, but when I decided to quit smoking and switched to vaping, the first thing I needed was an E-Liquid with a tobacco flavor since we all know that nobody would ever like the taste of Tobacco, do they? Perhaps you are, but I don’t, and having a flavor that was different from Tobacco was an extremely appealing reason to change to e-cigarettes.
My stance is unchanged to this day. Seven years after stopping smoking and beginning to use electronic cigarettes, I’ve never been back.
I’m sure that in the event of any flavor ban available in the UK, I would suffer a lot in continuing to vape when I couldn’t find the flavor I am familiar with, and so would numerous other people I think of. Flavors play a significant role in keeping me from smoking and away from smoking cigarettes, and they do the same for others, according to surveys.
The majority of those who responded to surveys that were conducted across different countries say that vape-flavored juice is the thing that keeps people from relapsing and then getting back into smoking cigarettes. If the same thing as a flavor ban were to happen in their nation, they would likely be tempted to return to smoking.
Some also think they will look for alternative ways to get flavored vape juices outside of their country of origin, which could lead to “black market” sales seeing an increase of over 80% because consumers aren’t receiving what they’re used from the usual sources.
Conclusion
We are, yet again, wrapping up another story about another country that wants to ban vape juices with flavors. Unfortunately, this is becoming too often for me to follow the news and write about my opinion on the bans that are being imposed remains the same;
FLAVOUR BANS ARE NOT THE ANSWER.
Flavoring bans won’t have much impact on the consumption habits of the young as they believe they will. While I’m not saying it will be a complete disaster, it could have an impact, however, not too much. What it will affect is the number of vapers who depend on flavored E-Liquids that keep them from returning to smoking cigarettes. Those currently smoking cigarettes are interested in trying vaping and avoiding cigarettes; however, only having the option of smoking tobacco or menthol vape juices would prevent people from making the switch since they are not a fan of either flavor.
This is another instance of time being the only judge of what will happen in Germany. You can be sure that I will keep you informed of any developments or events.
