California Passes Ban on Flavored Tobacco and E-Cigarettes

Nov.11.2022

California bans flavored tobacco and e-cigarettes, becoming the second state to do so.

On November 8th, a bill was passed in California with 58% of voters in favor and 32% against, to maintain the existing ban on flavored tobacco and electronic cigarette products, making it the second state, following Massachusetts, to prohibit the sale of flavored e-cigarettes and traditional cigarettes.

Additionally, it is the fifth state to comprehensively ban flavored e-cigarette products, following Massachusetts (November 2019), Rhode Island (March 2020), New Jersey (April 2020), and New York (May 2020) (click on the blue link to view related documents).

Gavin Newsom, candidate for Governor of California, tweeted that "there are many people coming out to vote, don't miss out - it's time to stand up against those despicable tobacco companies who sell out the future of our children and grandchildren while making a fortune for themselves, it's insane. Please vote YES on Proposition 31 to ensure the flavor ban stays in effect. Saving lives is everyone's responsibility!

Governor Newsom's tweet

An upcoming ban has sparked outrage among interest groups and electronic cigarette users. Tobacco companies such as Reynolds have filed a lawsuit against California (click on the blue font to view related news), and former smokers have commented on Governor Newsom's Twitter in opposition.

Former smokers publish condemnatory comments under Newsom's tweet.

As of October 18, 2022, more areas outside of those states have voted to pass bans on flavored tobacco. These areas include:

Colorado has five.

Georgia state has one.

Illinois has two major cities, one of which is Chicago.

Maine has three major cities, including Portland.

27 cities in Minnesota (including Minneapolis)

Ohio Two

Oregon 1

Pennsylvania has one major city, which is Philadelphia.

And Washington, D.C. as well.

Governments around the world are tightening regulations on electronic cigarettes, and one method of control is to ban flavors. More and more governments may choose this approach. 2FIRSTS will continue to monitor the latest developments regarding electronic cigarette regulations around the world. Stay tuned for updates.

1. This article is only intended for internal discussions and exchanges within the industry and does not promote or recommend any specific brands or products. 2. Smoking is harmful to health. Minors are prohibited from reading this article.

This article is an original piece created by 2FIRSTS Technology Co., Ltd. in Shenzhen. The copyright and license for its use belong to the company, and any unauthorized reproduction, reprinting, or infringement of the company's copyright by any organization or individual is strictly prohibited. The company reserves the right to pursue legal action against any violators.

#E-cigarette #E-cigarettes and Tobacco #Flavored tobacco and nicotine products #California #E-cigarettes with Flavors #USA

This document has been generated through artificial intelligence translation and is provided solely for the purposes of industry discourse and learning. Please note that the intellectual property rights of the content belong to the original media source or author. Owing to certain limitations in the translation process, there may be discrepancies between the translated text and the original content. We recommend referring to the original source for complete accuracy. In case of any inaccuracies, we invite you to reach out to us with corrections. If you believe any content has infringed upon your rights, please contact us immediately for its removal.

Washington Policy Media Flags Surge: China’s Monthly Vape Exports Jump from 2.2M Kg to 14.8M Kg; Crackdown Effectiveness Questioned

The Washington Examiner on December 9, 2025, reported: China's vape export volume to the U.S. rebounded sharply from 2.2 million kilograms to 14.8 million kilograms despite the crackdown. This volatility, confirming the annual multi-billion dollar trade gap, is the "Bullwhip Effect" in action. It transfers massive inventory to the U.S. market, putting the working capital of Chinese manufacturers and the supply chain at severe risk of lock-up and failure. Regulatory escalation is now imminent.

News

Dec.11

South Korea to Classify Synthetic Nicotine E-Cigarettes as Tobacco from April 2026

South Korea will implement amendments to its Tobacco Business Act on April 24, 2026, officially classifying synthetic nicotine liquid e-cigarettes as tobacco. This marks the first revision of the legal definition of tobacco since 1988. Once in effect, synthetic nicotine e-cigarettes will be subject to existing tobacco regulations, including health warnings, advertising restrictions, smoke-free area enforcement, and youth protection measures.

Dec.29 by 2FIRSTS.ai

UPC Court of Appeal refuses to revive VMR’s European vape patent, upholding lack of inventiveness

The Unified Patent Court’s Court of Appeal declined on Dec. 29 to revive a European patent held by VMR Products LLC, upholding a finding that the patent is not inventive over earlier devices. The decision said adding a window in the vape’s outer shell to reveal the internal cartridge holding vape liquid was an obvious, routine adaptation based on an earlier U.S. patent and general knowledge.

Jan.06 by 2FIRSTS.ai

Ireland’s HSE finds over a fifth of vape shops tested still selling to children despite under-18 ban

Ireland’s Health Service Executive (HSE) data show that more than a fifth of vape shops tested were still selling nicotine-inhaling vaping products to children, despite a ban on sales to under-18s that took effect on December 22, 2023.