From December, stricter rules for e-cigarettes will apply in the Czech Republic—primarily to protect young people. Sugar flavours and cannabinoids will be banned in order to reduce addiction potential.
From December, new regulations will tighten the sale and labelling of e-cigarettes in the Czech Republic. Manufacturers will have seven months to sell off their existing stock. After that, the sale of e-cigarettes containing sugar flavours or cannabinoids will be prohibited.
According to a study by the State Health Institute (SZÚ), almost 14 percent of the population used e-cigarettes last year. Over the past five years, this proportion has almost tripled. Among young people aged 15 to 24, the figure is even over a quarter.
Experts warn that e-cigarettes often contain more nicotine than conventional cigarettes, creating a strong potential for addiction. Until now, there has been no uniform regulation on how manufacturers must indicate nicotine content. In future, this must be done in a way that makes products easier for consumers to compare—i.e., in milligrams per millilitre of liquid or in micrograms per portion.
The sale of nicotine-containing products to persons under 18 is already prohibited by law. New rules state that nicotine-free products must also carry warnings and a symbol indicating they are not suitable for under-18s. In addition, liquids may not contain mineral or vegetable oils, fats, cannabinoids, or their derivatives, in addition to sugar flavours.
Mandatory information must be printed directly on the product itself, not on a sticker. The ID number under which the product is registered with the Czech Ministry of Health must also be included. The Ministry updates this list monthly.
The Ministry of Health has been working since last year on new regulations aimed at making e-cigarettes less appealing to children. E-cigarettes were originally developed as a safer alternative for smokers – yet around one in five current users has never smoked tobacco.
