1. Refer to the regulatory direction of Europe and the United States
United States: Policy measures revolve around reducing youth smoking rates. The smoking rate of American youth has gradually increased since 2014, driven by brands such as VUSE, BLU, JUUL, etc. In 2019, there were more than 5 million youth e-cigarette users in the United States. Therefore, in addition to PMTA, the United States mainly adopts flavor restrictions and raises the upper age limit. , taxation and other measures to reduce the attractiveness of electronic cigarettes to young people, or increase the threshold and cost of young people to buy electronic cigarettes.
United Kingdom: E-cigarettes are an important tool to reduce smoking rates, and the government is more open. In 2015, a study by the British Ministry of Health found that e-cigarettes are 95% less harmful than traditional cigarettes. According to the British Ministry of Health, there is currently no evidence that e-cigarettes will become a way of smoking for young people, and 20,000 people in the UK use e-cigarettes to quit smoking every year. On this basis, the British policy focuses on restrictions on content and marketing, and the overall attitude is relatively open.
2. Analysis of optimistic and pessimistic situations:
Optimistic situation: It may be similar to the United States. A small number of industry leaders can obtain production and retail licenses after passing strict audits; on the retail side, there are monopoly licenses specially set for electronic cigarettes, and advertising and publicity follow the tobacco management model. growth trend;
Pessimistic situation: The production and sales monopoly system may be implemented completely in accordance with the traditional tobacco system, and the opportunities for private enterprises to participate in the industrial chain will be reduced, but considering employment and exports, this possibility is relatively small.
3. The domestic e-cigarette policy may have four directions:
1) Qualification certification;
2) Limit the taste;
3) Limit the content or concentration of e-liquid;
4) E-liquid tax/nicotine tax will be imposed.
