TPD regulations in Europe

TPD regulations in Europe

As of May 20, 2017 a new set of rules have come into effect all over the European Union. TPD regulations don't only affect the sales of combustible tobacco products but also electronic cigarettes and e-liquids. With consumer safety as the main priority, the EU Tobacco Products Directive aims at standardizing a wide range of devices and nicotine containing juices.

Nicotine itself is a highly toxic drug and can be potentially fatal to children and pets. The main concern is that this drug can enter the system not only by ingestion but also through the skin. This is why the main set of rules have a big impact on the sales of e-liquids.

According to TPD regulations, all bottles of e-juice sold in the EU must have a maximum nicotine concentration of 20mg. Also the bottles can't be bigger than 10ml. Therefore, as of May 20, all European vendors can only sell nicotine e-liquids in 10ml bottles and with a maximum concentration of 2%. Zero nic juices are not affected by this set of rules and they can still be sold in 15, 30, 60 or 120ml bottles.

The bottles are required to have child proof caps and all the ingredients listed. Potentially harmful substances such as the infamous Diacetyl as well as other hazardous chemicals and colorings are strictly forbidden. E-liquid manufactures have to do through quality control testing, disclose the results and only make the products in certified labs.

Flavor concentrates do not fall under TPD regulations and these can still be purchased freely across the EU. However, since nicotine can only be found in 10ml / 20mg bottles, it's going to be a bit more expensive to make DIY liquids at home. Many vendors are now selling unflavored nicotine shots and these can be used for DIY e-juice as well as to bring 0mg nic e-liquids to a standard concentration of 3mg or 6mg.

RTAs and tanks have also been standardized by TPD regulations. These can now have a maximum capacity of 2.0ml of e-liquid regardless if they are sold separately or with vape kits. The smaller capacity doesn't affect tank's performance but it will require more refills across the day.

On the other hand mods, spare parts and atomizer heads are not affected by TPD regulations and can still be purchased as before. The only types of atties that don't fall under the new rules are RDAs, probably due to their small e-liquid capacity.

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