Taiwan Urged to Implement Flavor Ban Without Delay

According to Taipei Times reported on August 21, the Tobacco Control Alliance is urging Taiwan's Ministry of Health and Welfare not to hinder the proposed flavor ban and not to delay the implementation of the policy.

The alliance is asking the Department of Health and Welfare whether they oppose the resolution by lawmakers to completely ban the sale of flavored tobacco products.

On August 9th, the department released a recommendation to prohibit the use of 27 chemicals in cigarettes, e-cigarettes, and HNB tobacco products.

Wang Han-yang, Chairman of the National Alliance for Basic Education Action, stated that additives in flavored cigarettes reduce the harsh smell of smoke, which attracts young people and women to smoke.

He stated that according to Article 10 of the Tobacco Hazard Prevention Act, prohibited additives cannot be used in tobacco products, and lawmakers have agreed to completely ban the sale of all flavored tobacco products.

The Ministry of Health and Welfare recommended in March of last year to only ban four flavors: flower, fruit, chocolate, and mint. However, this suggestion was questioned because it did not cover the ten most common flavors.

However, after 16 months of delay, the department only proposed banning 27 additives, instead of all flavor additives, citing that this aligns with practices in the United States and the European Union.

Last Friday, the alliance submitted a petition signed by 173 civil society groups to representatives of the ruling party and opposition parties in Taiwan.

In the letter, it was asked:

Is the Department of Health and Welfare trying to veto the legislative proposal to ban the sale of flavored tobacco by only prohibiting 27 additives?

The letter also raised doubts about...

When most similar regulations in the United States and 27 countries of the European Union are aimed at tobacco flavors, does the statement of the Ministry of Health and Welfare hold up? Especially when the EU has already completely banned all flavored tobaccos that mask the taste of tobacco.

The group stated that the ban on flavored tobacco products should align with President William Lai's "Healthy China Taiwan" plan.

They asked,

Why is the Ministry of Health and Welfare only banning 27 additives, despite industry reports showing over 1200 different flavor additives? Will the Ministry of Health and Welfare also be able to ban concept flavors invented by tobacco companies by simply banning additives – such as "Arctic Chill" and "Tropical Breeze"?

The alliance points out that the FDA has staff responsible for inspecting and fining for "abnormal odors or flavors" in food, but the Health Promotion Bureau states that it cannot regulate the taste of tobacco products solely based on odor.

Why is the Ministry of Health's attitude towards tobacco companies so divergent?