Academic Journal
Governing E-cigarettes in China: regulatory challenges and strategies for adolescent protection in the post-flavor ban era.
| Τίτλος: | Governing E-cigarettes in China: regulatory challenges and strategies for adolescent protection in the post-flavor ban era. |
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| Συγγραφείς: | Yao Y; School of Law, China Jiliang University, Hangzhou, China., Yao L; School of Law, China Jiliang University, Hangzhou, China., Yang F; School of Law, China Jiliang University, Hangzhou, China. |
| Πηγή: | Frontiers in public health [Front Public Health] 2026 Mar 27; Vol. 14, pp. 1813366. Date of Electronic Publication: 2026 Mar 27 (Print Publication: 2026). |
| Τύπος έκδοσης: | Journal Article |
| Γλώσσα: | English |
| Στοιχεία περιοδικού: | Publisher: Frontiers Editorial Office Country of Publication: Switzerland NLM ID: 101616579 Publication Model: eCollection Cited Medium: Internet ISSN: 2296-2565 (Electronic) Linking ISSN: 22962565 NLM ISO Abbreviation: Front Public Health Subsets: MEDLINE |
| Imprint Name(s): | Original Publication: Lausanne : Frontiers Editorial Office |
| Ιατρικοί όροι (MeSH): | Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems* , Flavoring Agents* , Government Regulation*, Marketing/legislation & jurisprudence ; Humans ; China ; Tobacco Control |
| Περίληψη: | China's e-cigarette governance has entered a complex post-flavor ban era under the "1 + 2 + N" regulatory framework. While this system integrates centralized transaction platforms and mandatory safety standards, critical vulnerabilities remain. Current regulatory asymmetry, characterized by strict e-cigarette flavor prohibitions alongside lenient policies for flavored combustible tobacco, may inadvertently redirect consumption toward traditional smoking products. Meanwhile, the expansion of covert online marketing and illicit social media networks continues to facilitate adolescent access, weakening enforcement effectiveness. Addressing these challenges requires a coordinated policy response. This article proposes extending flavor restrictions to combustible cigarettes to enhance regulatory consistency and raising the legal purchase age with reference to international "Tobacco 21" experience. It further highlights the need to strengthen algorithmic governance to curb hidden digital promotion and to apply nudge-based interventions, such as neutral packaging and graphic warnings, to reduce product appeal. Integrating these supply- and demand-side measures is essential to limit youth initiation, contain illicit market growth, and reinforce long-term public health protection. (Copyright © 2026 Yao, Yao and Yang.) |
| Competing Interests: | The author(s) declared that this work was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest. |
| Contributed Indexing: | Keywords: electronic cigarettes; flavor ban; public health; regulatory frameworks; tobacco product |
| Substance Nomenclature: | 0 (Flavoring Agents) |
| Entry Date(s): | Date Created: 20260413 Date Completed: 20260715 Latest Revision: 20260715 |
| Update Code: | 20260715 |
| PubMed Central ID: | PMC13066186 |
| DOI: | 10.3389/fpubh.2026.1813366 |
| PMID: | 41971277 |
| Βάση Δεδομένων: | MEDLINE |
| ISSN: | 2296-2565 |
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| DOI: | 10.3389/fpubh.2026.1813366 |