Vaping Tips & Essentials
Are vapes tobacco products?
Mar
One of the most significant selling points of vaping is the fact that it doesn’t contain any tobacco, which when heated, is very harmful to human health and causes a wide variety of dangerous medical conditions. However, as we may observe, vape kits and e-liquids are often grouped closely with traditional cigarettes and other tobacco goods. So what is the truth – are vapes tobacco products, and if so, why are they classified like that? Let’s take a closer look at this topic.
Table of contents
United States
Let’s focus on the United States first. Here the facts are pretty simple as in 2014, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) ruled that e-cigarettes should be classified as part of tobacco products. We all know by now that vaporizers don’t contain any tobacco, so how was this decision justified? Even though e-cigarettes don’t have inside of them tobacco, most of them contain nicotine, which is derived from this substance. That is why the FDA sees vaping items as part of tobacco products. As we may find out on the FDA website, electronic cigarettes, vape pens, vapes, and vaporizers are described as electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS). As a result, the organization regulates all the key stages all these goods go through, including their manufacturing process, packaging, labeling, advertising, as well as sale and distribution. The regulations apply not only to ENDS (electronic nicotine delivery systems) but also to their parts and various additional elements. This category includes tanks systems, drip tips, atomizers, cartridges, containers for e-juices, and e-liquids.
Why is vaping similar to tobacco products?
When we know, is a vape a tobacco product, it is worth considering why. On the FDA website, you can find plenty of troubling information about the use of e-cigarettes by teenagers. When you see the numbers of the new generation interested in trying out these devices, you may realize why the FDA aims to stop this trend. It’s important to remember that vape products usually contain nicotine, which is addictive and should not be consumed by young people as it may result in developing lifelong addiction. It’s no surprise that the FDA wants to stop it from happening. One of the ways to reach that is by making it harder to purchase these types of products in the first place.
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Rest of the world
How does the situation look in other countries? Well, it depends, of course. For example, in Europe, e-cigarettes are under The Tobacco Products Directive, which also sees them as tobacco related products. The reasoning behind this decision is quite similar to the one in the United States – if nicotine comes from tobacco, all nicotine related goods should be considered tobacco products. The Tobacco Products Directive limited the size of vape tanks to no more than 2ml and set the maximum volume of e-juices with nicotine to 10ml. The Directive also stated that nicotine concentrations in e-liquids can’t be higher than 20 mg/ml. Vaping products, just the same as regular cigarettes, cannot be advertised as well, and if they contain nicotine, they need to have health warning information on the packaging. However, each European country can also have its own regulations, which may be even stricter than those set by the EU in the first place.
When is vaping legal?
So, if vaping is treated the same as tobacco products, the question is when is it legal. Is vaping legal under 18? No, you can’t. The laws may vary from country to country, but the consensus remains that vaping products are allowed only for people who have reached and passed the age of 18. Of course, in some places around the world, this standard is even higher, and one of the prime examples is the USA. Thanks to the federal bill by the name of Tobacco 21, the legal vaping age was raised to 21 years old across the whole country. It’s important to note that even nicotine-free e-juices are considered part of tobacco goods and are available only to customers over 21. If you’re traveling internationally, always check the regulations regarding vaping in the country of your destination. Remember that in some places vaping is restricted or even banned. For example, it is illegal in such countries as Uruguay, Venezuela, Argentina, Brazil, Egypt, India, Lithuania, United Arab Emirates, Philippines, Saudi Arabia, and Vietnam.
