Extract
In recent years, the e-cigarette market across European countries has grown extensively [1, 2], as 15% of Europeans report having tried e-cigarettes, representing a 7.0% increase since 2012 [3]. E-cigarettes are regulated across the 28 European Union (EU) member states [4] under Article 20 of the Tobacco Products Directive (TPD), a legislative document which aims to regulate the internal European market and to harmonise the safety and quality of e-cigarette products through design specifications, including, but not limited to the volume of the refill container, nicotine content and the existence of child-resistant refill containers, among other parameters. In order for e-cigarette refill vials to be placed onto the market under the TPD, e-cigarettes must deliver nicotine doses at consistent levels under normal conditions of use (Art20;3f); must not contain >20 mg·mL−1 nicotine (Art20;3b); and only ingredients of high purity are to be used in the manufacture of the nicotine-containing liquid (Art20;3d) [4]. Research performed before the TPD was implemented indicated that there were wide inconsistencies between the labelled and the actual nicotine concentration of the products, with production impurities commonly noted [5–9].
Abstract
Close monitoring of the nicotine concentration of e-cigarette refills in the EU is necessary, as discrepancies exist between the actual nicotine content in the vial as compared to that stated on the label, even after the implementation of the TPD http://bit.ly/33kqMbZ
Footnotes
Conflict of interest: C. Girvalaki has nothing to disclose.
Conflict of interest: M. Tzatzarakis has nothing to disclose.
Conflict of interest: A. Vardavas has nothing to disclose.
Conflict of interest: C.N. Kyriakos has nothing to disclose.
Conflict of interest: K. Nikitara has nothing to disclose.
Conflict of interest: P. Stivaktakis has nothing to disclose.
Conflict of interest: A. Tsatsakis has nothing to disclose.
Conflict of interest: C. Vardavas has nothing to disclose.
Support statement: This work was supported by a grant from the European Commission (Horizon2020 HCO-6-2015; EUREST-PLUS: 681109; C. Vardavas). Funding information for this article has been deposited with the Crossref Funder Registry.
- Received May 10, 2019.
- Accepted October 26, 2019.
- Copyright ©ERS 2020
INDIVIDUALS
Log in using your username and password
LIBRARY USERS
Log in through your institution
Purchase access
CONTACT US
If you have any questions about the ERS publications website, please contact journals@ersnet.org