A Colorful Variety of Flavored E-cigarettes Appears in Taiwan Nightclubs

The popular e-cigarettes, powered by batteries, heat up to produce vapor similar to smoke, simulating the experience of smoking. Marketed as a "quit smoking miracle" and infused with various flavors like fruit and mint, they have gained popularity among both older smokers and young people. The Taipei City Health Bureau states that e-cigarettes are currently illegal in Taiwan, and due to their unknown ingredients, they not only lack effectiveness in helping to quit smoking but may also accelerate addiction.

From July 16 to the end of September this year, the Taipei City Health Bureau seized a total of 320 illegal e-cigarette products, of which 318 were sold online. Additionally, 54 of these products were sent to the Ministry of Health and Welfare's Food and Drug Administration for inspection. Among the 34 products that have been completed, 24 contained nicotine, with 5 coming from sellers in Taipei City. The Health Bureau has directly referred these cases to the Taipei District Court for investigation, while the remaining 19 cases from other counties have been referred to the respective city health bureaus for legal action.

The e-cigarette devices available on the market resemble traditional cigarettes, with both disposable and cigar-shaped options, priced between NT$600 and NT$4000. The variety of e-liquids (oils) is vast, including flavors like grass, mint, banana, and beer, as well as special blends from vendors, with prices ranging from NT$150 to NT$1600. Many young people are attracted by the diverse flavors, finding them fun and cool, which makes them more susceptible to addiction.

The Health Bureau states that according to the Pharmaceutical Affairs Act, e-cigarettes containing nicotine are classified as controlled substances. Those who manufacture or import them without prior application and registration with the Ministry of Health and Welfare can face imprisonment of up to 10 years and fines of up to NT$10 million. Currently, the Ministry of Health and Welfare has not approved any e-cigarette products.

Furthermore, if e-cigarette products do not contain nicotine but claim to help "quit smoking" or "reduce cravings," they also violate Article 69 of the Pharmaceutical Affairs Act, which can result in fines ranging from NT$600,000 to NT$25 million, and illegal items will be confiscated and destroyed.

Honorary researcher at the National Health Research Institutes, Wen Qibang, stated that e-cigarettes not only lack the ability to help quit smoking but also have poor quality control and untested ingredients, often containing carcinogens and heavy metals, which can lead to nicotine poisoning and even explosions of the devices.