Vapes from China: Sold Abroad, Virtually Banned at Home

Sweet flavours, colourful designs, often barely larger than a highlighter: at first glance, vapes appear considerably less harmful than cigarettes. Many products taste of fruit, sweets or beverages and are designed to appeal particularly to young people. A large proportion of the devices sold worldwide are manufactured in China. What is remarkable, however, is that China itself has significantly restricted the sale of flavoured e-cigarettes within its own borders.

Why has China virtually eliminated sweet, fruity vapes from its domestic market while allowing their export to continue unhindered? What substances are inhaled when vaping? What health consequences can this have? And how can naturopathy help minimise harm? We did some research ...

Vapes in China

First of all, it should be noted that e-cigarettes are not generally banned in China. Since 2022, however, significantly stricter regulations have been in place.

Article 26 of China’s e-cigarette regulations prohibits the sale of flavoured e-cigarettes in flavours other than tobacco. The national standard GB 41700-2022 came into force on 1 October 2022 and additionally regulates the composition, design and labelling of the products.

The Chinese authorities explicitly justified the restriction in part on the grounds of protecting young people. Fruit, food and beverage flavours as well as nicotine-free e-cigarettes were said to have a strong appeal to minors and could encourage them to use these products. E-cigarettes intended for the Chinese domestic market must therefore not have any characteristic flavour other than tobacco; nicotine-free e-cigarettes may likewise not be sold there through regular channels (State Administration for Market Regulation, 2022).

This is certainly remarkable, since flavours such as mango, watermelon, cola or sweets are precisely what make vapes attractive internationally. Particularly to (young) people who have little liking for the taste of traditional tobacco.

Exporting Small, Colourful Risk Factors

Different rules apply to the export of vapes.

Under Chinese regulations, appropriately licensed manufacturers may produce e-cigarettes for foreign markets. Exported products must generally comply with the laws and standards of the destination country. Where no corresponding requirements exist, Chinese regulations are to be applied (State Tobacco Monopoly Administration, 2022).

Unsurprisingly, Chinese companies are permitted to manufacture products for foreign markets provided that the importing countries allow them to be imported.

But why do countries permit the import of products that the producing country itself sees reason to restrict considerably?

Not as Harmless as It Sounds: The “Vapour”

Anyone who uses a “vape” is by no means inhaling harmless water vapour. E-cigarettes heat a so-called e-liquid, thereby producing an aerosol.

The base liquid usually consists predominantly of propylene glycol, which can irritate the respiratory tract, and glycerine. Both substances serve, among other things, as solvents or humectants, while glycerine also contributes significantly to the formation of the visible aerosol. (After all, users want to be able to see the vapour …) When these substances are heated, harmful carbonyl compounds such as formaldehyde, acetaldehyde and acrolein can be formed — substances that are also known to be carcinogenic.

Depending on the product, nicotine, flavourings and other additives may also be present.

In addition, metal particles or traces of metals such as nickel, chromium, lead, tin or copper have also been detected in e-cigarette aerosols and may originate, for example, from the heating coils and other components.

Of relevance to health is the fact that these substances are inhaled deep into the lungs after being heated.

Among other things, e-cigarette aerosols can therefore contain:

·       nicotine

·       carcinogenic chemicals

·       volatile organic compounds

·       heavy metals such as nickel, tin and lead

·       flavourings that may be harmful when inhaled

(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, CDC, 2025).

The World Health Organization (WHO) likewise comes to a clear conclusion:

E-cigarettes are harmful to health and not safe. Their emissions can contain toxic substances (WHO, 2026).

Vapes Are Addictive — Even If They Taste of Mango

The nicotine contained in most e-cigarettes can quickly lead to addiction. Its consumption is particularly problematic for children and adolescents because their brains are still developing and are therefore especially sensitive and susceptible to the toxic substance. The WHO and CDC consequently explicitly warn about the effects of nicotine on young people (CDC, 2025; WHO, 2026).

Vapes, however, can make consumption easier and thereby increase it: the liquid in a vape is naturally used up over time, but there is no need to go to the trouble of lighting a new cigarette because the previous one has burned down within a few minutes. Sweet flavours and a comparatively mild inhalation experience can also obscure the fact that a pharmacologically active and addictive substance is still being consumed.

What Vapes Do to the Lungs

The long-term effects of e-cigarettes are not yet as well researched as those of decades of cigarette smoking. This is primarily because modern vapes have not been widespread for long enough for all of their effects to be observed over several decades. However, this does not mean that no harm has been identified to date.

A systematic review published in 2025, which included 119 studies, concluded that e-cigarettes are associated with harm to the respiratory system. Non-smokers who vaped experienced more respiratory symptoms than people who neither smoked nor vaped. For various longer-term diseases, however, the certainty of the evidence remains low to moderate, which is why further long-term studies are necessary.

Research is focusing in particular on associations with:

·       coughing and wheezing

·       inflammation and irritation of the airways

·       asthma

·       chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)

·       changes in lung function

(Kundu et al., 2025).

There are clear warning signs regarding damage to the respiratory tract. This is especially meaningful since the full long-term risk is not even known yet!

The Effects of Vaping on the Heart and Blood Vessels

Vaping is not purely a lung problem. Nicotine can increase heart rate and blood pressure. In addition, a systematic review and meta-analysis of controlled studies published in 2024 found acute adverse changes in various vascular parameters following the use of nicotine-containing e-cigarettes (Cheraghi et al., 2024).

One problem when assessing the risks: that biological changes can already be measured. However, when it comes to the question of how many heart attacks, strokes or other diseases will occur after 20 or 30 years of regular use, the necessary observation periods inevitably do not yet exist.

Oxidative Stress and Inflammation

Oxidative stress describes a condition in which reactive oxygen species can overwhelm the body’s antioxidant defence systems. Such processes are associated with cell damage, inflammatory reactions and numerous chronic diseases.

A systematic review published in 2024 examined cigarettes, e-cigarettes and heated tobacco products with regard to markers of oxidative stress and inflammatory responses. Evidence was also found that electronic nicotine delivery systems influence these processes (Kopa-Stojak & Pawliczak, 2024).

So, simply take a few antioxidants and carry on vaping without a care? That would be a dangerous misconception.

But a Healthy Diet (and Supplements) Is Important

An adequate supply of nutrients with antioxidant properties nevertheless remains part of a health-promoting diet.

Useful sources include:

o   vegetables

o   berries and other fruits

o   nuts and seeds

o   herbs and spices

o   high-quality plant oils.

Among other things, they provide carotenoids, and various secondary plant compounds. These nutrients support the normal functioning of the body’s own protective systems.

China Relies on Strict Regulation

China has recognised that fruity and sweet flavours can make e-cigarettes particularly attractive to minors — and has largely banished them from the regular domestic market. At the same time, Chinese export regulations permit the production of e-cigarettes in accordance with the requirements of importing countries.

And this brings us back to the question posed at the beginning: Why do countries — why does the EU — permit the import of products that the producing country itself sees reason to restrict considerably? Especially when the Dutch National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM) concluded that sweet and fruity flavours in particular appeal to young people, prompting the Netherlands to ban almost all e-cigarette flavours other than tobacco (RIVM, 2026)?

The answer is simple: Because there is currently no general ban on such flavours at EU level. Because the EU has so far left this issue to the individual Member States. When the European Tobacco Products Directive was adopted in 2014, e-cigarette flavours were deliberately not regulated uniformly. The European Commission itself now acknowledges that this lack of harmonisation constitutes a regulatory gap. Nothing is yet known about any concrete plans for changes (European Commission, 2026).

And the state also profits from the vape boom. E-liquids have been taxed in Germany since 2022. In 2025 alone, around €408 million from so-called tobacco substitutes flowed into state coffers. So while health risks and the protection of young people are being debated, the market has long since become a significant source of tax revenue as well (Statistisches Bundesamt 2026).

A Look at International Age Restrictions

Countries differ considerably when it comes to protecting young people.

In Germany, vapes — including nicotine-free products — may not be sold to anyone under the age of 18 (Section 10 of the German Protection of Young Persons Act, JuSchG). The EU, by contrast, does not prescribe a uniform minimum age; it leaves this issue to its Member States (European Union, 2014).

In France, the sale of vapes to minors is prohibited. In addition, disposable e-cigarettes — known as “puffs” — may no longer be sold or distributed free of charge at all since 26 February 2025 (Service-Public.fr, 2025).

In the United Kingdom, the minimum age is 18. The British government is currently tightening its rules on vapes and intends, in particular, to impose additional restrictions on advertising and product design (Department of Health and Social Care, 2026).

In Canada, federal law prohibits the sale or supply of vaping products to anyone under the age of 18. However, provinces and territories may impose stricter requirements; depending on the region, the minimum age is therefore 18, 19 or 21 (Government of Canada, 2018).

In the United States, by contrast, e-cigarettes and e-liquids may only be sold to people aged 21 or over in all states. Buyers under the age of 30 are now required to provide identification (FDA, n.d.).

This shows that international regulations are certainly comparable. But there are some interesting outliers:

In Brazil, the manufacture, import, sale, distribution and advertising of e-cigarettes are generally prohibited. In 2024, the Brazilian health authority Anvisa explicitly reaffirmed this ban, which has been in place since 2009, following a renewed risk assessment. Private possession or use, by contrast, is not generally prohibited (Anvisa, 2024).

In South Africa, vapes are legally available and have been subject to excise duty since 1 June 2023. At the same time, their regulation is set to become significantly stricter: the Tobacco Products and Electronic Delivery Systems Control Bill explicitly covers electronic nicotine and non-nicotine delivery systems and provides, among other things, for a ban on sales to children as well as stricter rules on advertising, packaging and distribution. However, the legislation has not yet been passed; in June 2026, the responsible parliamentary committee initially approved the motion of desirability for the Bill ( SARS, 2023; Parliament of South Africa, 2026).

Vapes: Pretty, Sweet, Harmful

Vapes appear modern, clean and harmless. In reality, they expose users to an aerosol that can contain carcinogenic substances, nicotine, irritating chemicals, ultrafine particles and heavy metals.

The situation in China remains particularly contradictory: sweet and fruity vapes are heavily restricted on the domestic market, yet continue to be manufactured for export. Other countries go even further and ban certain vape products or e-cigarettes altogether.

Anyone who vapes regularly exposes their body to a burden whose long-term extent is not yet fully known.

The most effective protective measure therefore remains remarkably simple: don’t smoke, don’t vape.

FAQ — Frequently Asked Questions About Vapes

1. Is Passive Vaping Harmless to Health?

No, people in the vicinity can also be exposed to components of exhaled e-cigarette aerosol. The FDA explicitly records health problems in people who did not vape themselves but were exposed to the aerosol. However, the extent of the long-term risk associated with passive vaping is still being investigated.

2. Can Vapes Explode or Catch Fire?

Yes. Although such incidents are considered relatively rare, they can cause severe burns and other injuries. Problems with lithium-ion batteries in particular are considered a possible cause.

3. Is Leaking E-Liquid Dangerous?

Nicotine-containing liquid in particular can be dangerous. Liquid nicotine can have toxic effects if swallowed or absorbed through the skin; even small amounts can pose a considerable risk, particularly to young children. E-liquids should therefore always be stored safely out of their reach.

(FDA, n.d.)

Further information — also on many other topics — can be found on our blog. You can also find our “Medizinskandale” book series and the “Codex Humanus”, whose fifth volume was recently published, in our online shop. We look forward to your visit.

Sources:

·       State State Administration for Market Regulation; State Tobacco Monopoly Administration (2022): “《电子烟管理办法》和《电子烟》国家标准等有关问题解答” [Questions and Answers on the E-Cigarette Regulations and the National Standard for E-Cigarettes].

·       State Tobacco Monopoly Administration (2022): “电子烟进出口贸易和对外经济技术合作管理细则” [Rules on the Import and Export of E-Cigarettes and on Foreign Economic and Technical Cooperation].

·       Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) (2025): “Health Effects of Vaping.”

·       World Health Organization (WHO) (2026): “Electronic Cigarettes (E-cigarettes): Advocacy Brief,” WHO Regional Office for the Western Pacific.

·       Kundu, A. et al. (2025): “Evidence Update on the Respiratory Health Effects of Vaping E-cigarettes: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis,” Tobacco Induced Diseases.

·       Cheraghi, M. et al. (2024): “Acute Cardiovascular Effects of Electronic Cigarettes: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis,” European Heart Journal Open.

·       Kopa-Stojak, P. N.; Pawliczak, R. (2024): “Comparison of the Effects of Active and Passive Smoking of Tobacco Cigarettes, Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems and Tobacco Heating Products on the Expression and Secretion of Oxidative Stress and Inflammatory Response Markers: A Systematic Review,” Inhalation Toxicology.

·       Rijksinstituut voor Volksgezondheid en Milieu (2026): “Sweet Flavour and Colour Make E-cigarette Appealing, Also for Non-smokers.”

·       European Commission (2026): “Staff Working Document – Evaluation of the Tobacco Products Directive, Tobacco Advertising Directive and Related Policies Across the EU.”

·       Federal Statistical Office (2026): “Taxation of Tobacco Products (Water-Pipe Tobacco, Heated Tobacco, Substitutes): Germany, Years, Tax Stamps,” GENESIS-Online.

·       German Protection of Young Persons Act (JuSchG): “Section 10 – Smoking in Public, Tobacco Products,” Federal Ministry of Justice.

·       European Union (2014): “Directive 2014/40/EU on the Manufacture, Presentation and Sale of Tobacco and Related Products.”

·       Service-Public.fr (2025): “La vente de cigarettes électroniques jetables est désormais interdite en France,” Direction de l’information légale et administrative.

·       Department of Health and Social Care (2026): “Tobacco and Vapes: Packaging, Appearance and Display,” GOV.UK.

·       Tobacco and Vaping Products Act (2018): “Section 8 – Furnishing Products to Young Persons,” Government of Canada.

·       U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) (n.d.): “Tobacco 21.”

·       Agência Nacional de Vigilância Sanitária (2024): “Anvisa atualiza regulação de cigarro eletrônico e mantém proibição,” Anvisa.

·       South African Revenue Service (2023): “Taxing of Vaping Tobacco Products with Effect from 1 June 2023.”

·       Parliament of South Africa (2026): “Committee on Health Adopts the Motion of Desirability of the Tobacco Products and Electronic Delivery Systems Control Bill.”

·       U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) (n.d.): “Safety Reporting Portal for Tobacco Products.”

·       U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) (n.d.): “Tips to Help Avoid Vape Battery Fires or Explosions.”

·       U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) (n.d.): “How to Properly Store E-Liquids and Prevent Accidental Exposure of E-Liquids to Children.”

Header images are AI-generated illustrative images.