Selling / Buying E-Cicarettes – It’s all changing in May 2017

If you’re not heard of the TPD before, it’s part of the Tobacco Products Directive (article 20). Although designed for cigarettes, e-cigarettes were included in the  article 20.

Nicotine Strength Limit

A blow to new users who are coming from a heavy smoking habit, 24mg was a common strength to help initially kick the cigarettes. The biggest effect will be on the DIY market, where high strength nicotine concentrate of up to 72mg/L was commonly used to mix your own juice. No “end consumer” can purchase nicotine base liquid in strength over 20mg/L and bottle size over 10ml.

Tank Capacity Limits

Refillable atomizers, also known as tanks, are not to exceed 2ml in capacity and must be leak-proof when refilling when used with the TPD compliant nozzle type.

Bottle Restrictions & Size Limits

Bottles are not to exceed 10ml in capacity, must have a child-proof and tamper-proof caps, a nozzle that meets certain specifications so as to be easy to use for refilling devices without leakage and also to not dispense more than a certain amount of liquid in a given time frame.

Promotional Regulations

Restrictions on the advertising of e-cigarettes products both to the general public and to pre-existing customers in retail locations or on the websites, besides that is purely informative. This also applies to flavour names and descriptions to keep them as neutral and informative as possible, along with restrictions on any kind of claim of health benefits or advantages of certain products and restrictions on promotional deals.

We recommend stocking up on your regular products well before the 20th of May as there may be a rush due to customers stockpiling in preparation for the ban.