10 out of 15 Disposable Vapes Sold in Italy Found Without Authorization

Italian authorities have carried out compliance tests on mainstream e-cigarette products, revealing that only five out of fifteen tested brands – ELFBAR, VUSE, BECOMATE, GEEKBAR, and LIKBAR – have passed regulatory certifications from the Italian Customs and Monopoly Agency (Adm). These are the only brands legally permitted for sale in Italy.

Other popular e-cigarette products, such as PUFF BAR, REVOLTAGE, SALT SWITCH, and X-BAR, were found to be in violation of regulatory guidelines. Besides failing to obtain the necessary compliance certifications, these products also had issues with excessive nicotine content and the absence of necessary warning labels.

Altroconsumo, a respected Italian consumer organization, has reported these findings to the Italian Customs and Monopoly Agency, the Department of Business and Manufacturing, and the Department of Environmental and Energy Safety.

Compliance Labelling

On July 11th, Altroconsumo announced on its official website that it had purchased and tested fifteen different e-cigarette brands for compliance with Italian regulations. The tested products were from BECOMATE, ELFBAR, GEEKBAR, LIKBAR, PUFF BAR, REVOLTAGE, SALT SWITCH, VUSE, and X-BAR.

Apart from the five brands that passed the certification, the remaining ten brands, including PUFF BAR, REVOLTAGE, SALT SWITCH, and X-BAR, failed to register with the Italian Customs and Monopoly Agency. Despite this, they are still available for purchase online, without any age verification procedures.

Overfilling

PUFF BAR’s three products were specifically noted for their nicotine content violations. For instance, Puff Bar Mango was labeled as having a nicotine content of 5% per milliliter, exceeding the legal limit of 2%.

Age Verification

Additionally, seven online platforms were identified for failing to verify the age of consumers, despite Italy's strict prohibition on the sale of nicotine products to minors.

"Non-nicotine" Misleading Contents

The investigation also raised concerns over false advertising, with several brands claiming their products contained "non-tobacco nicotine." It was speculated that this phrase referred to synthetic nicotine, which is legal in the United States but still contains addictive properties.

WEEE Requirements

Furthermore, eleven out of the fifteen tested products lacked proper health warning labels in accordance with Italian laws. Only three products complied with the environmental standards the WEEE (Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment) directive set out.

Reference:

[1] Sigarette usa e getta, trovati prodotti irregolari online: salute dei giovani e ambiente a rischio