E-cigarettes are one of the few electronic products invented – and not just produced – by the Chinese. To be precise, in Shenzhen, about ten years ago. It is a highly controversial product as it can be lethal if it is not made in accordance with the safety standards in force. That’s why in this article we will give a lot of space to European regulations, how to comply with them and how to import electronic cigarettes from China
E-cigarette manufacturing companies in China
A research on Alibaba.com reveals that 87% of Chinese companies specializing in the production of electronic cigarettes are located in the province of Guangdong and, in particular, in Shenzhen, Dongguan, Huizhou and Zhongshan.
In 2010, that is, before the European Union and the United States reacted with specific legislation, the boom of electronic cigarettes began, with hundreds of new manufacturing companies that started marketing this product.
Apart from manufacturers, many Chinese wholesalers have also followed the trend, starting to export e-cigarettes produced by others. A quick look at Alibaba.com reveals that most of the companies that trade in electronic cigarettes are not manufacturers, but retailers with a small share capital (between 30 and 100 thousand RMB).
We advise you to stay away from these types of suppliers as they cannot offer you a better price, they rarely agree to sell you smaller quantities than those accepted by manufacturing companies and, in addition, they usually do not have products that comply with European and American certification standards.
The only “advantage” they offer you is to add a veil of mystery, as you will be dealing with an intermediary and it will be impossible to find out the name of the company that makes the goods.
Product Specifications and Components
As with every other product we have dealt with, electronic cigarettes are no exception: a universal definition of quality does not exist; Quality, on the other hand, is defined by materials and components. First, you’ll need to choose what type of e-cigarettes you plan to import:
- Refillable e-cigarettes
- Disposable e-cigarettes
- e-go e-cigarettes
- Personal vaporizers
The specifications of the product vary depending on the type of cigarette you want to import. For example, if you intend to import disposable cigarettes you won’t have to worry too much about the features of the refillable cartridges. Here is an example of characteristics common to all types of cartridges:
- Number of “puffs” or “puffs” contained by a cartridge: 200-500
- Cartridge Capacity: 1.X ml
- Child-resistant switch: yes/no
- Cigarette Body Material: XXX
- Mouthpiece Material: XXX
- LED: Yes/No
- Charger Type: USB
- Battery: XXX mAh
- Weight: XXX g
- Voltage: 3.X – 3.X V
Battery
Most suppliers offer batteries with different capacities. This is a key component as the number of puffs, and therefore the lifespan of the cigarette itself, is limited not only by the amount of liquid contained in the cartridge, but also by the capacity of the battery. The relationship between battery capacity and the number of puffs is, more or less, as follows:
- 650mAh: 600-650 puffs
- 900mAh: 800-850 puffs
- 1100mAh: 1000-1050 puffs
Also, if the battery is of good quality, it should be possible to recharge it at least three hundred times.
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Most vendors offer USB chargers or chargers that come with a traditional power outlet. We would like to recommend the USB ones as the voltage of the current ones is higher (about 5 Volts), and a problem with the power outlet could injure the end consumer or cause a fire while charging the electronic cigarette.
E-liquid
E-liquid, or e-cigarette liquid, is an active substance composed of propylene glycol, vegetable glycerol, nicotine and natural flavors.
There is currently no directive that specifies precisely which substances the e-liquid should contain or the characteristics of each substance.
Regulations and legal situation
In Europe, unlike many other goods that are now exclusively regulated by EU regulations, as far as electronic cigarettes are concerned, the situation is fragmented as there is still no European directive and each member state of the Union has adopted a national regulation. Here is the list of countries where, at the moment, it is legal to import and market European e-cigarettes: United Kingdom, Germany, Poland, Ireland, Latvia and Lithuania.
In Italy at the moment imports are blocked due to new legislation that equates them with traditional ones.
However, it is a new product; So we expect a change in the laws in force as soon as possible. Before proceeding with the purchase and import of electronic cigarettes, we therefore advise you to inform yourself about the latest changes to the regulation.
In the United States, the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) is still working on the regulation. E-cigarettes were initially classified as a device for administering toxic substances, and then subjected to the FDCA (Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act). Later, however, they were reclassified as a tobacco product and therefore legal within the United States.
Required Certification Standards
Although there is still no specific directive for electronic cigarettes, this does not mean that electronic components can be imported without complying with the certification standards in force. In particular, e-cigarettes will have to comply with the following standards:
European Union
- RoHS (both components and assembled product)
- CE (both the components and the assembled product)
- REACH (Both mouthpiece and plastic case)
United States
- CPSC (both the components and the assembled product)
- FHSA (Both mouthpiece and plastic case)
Note that chargers and batteries must also be up to standard. You will also need to make sure that the certificates provided by the Chinese company are authentic and still valid.
In fact, there are several cases of explosions or fires caused by electronic cigarettes. Since it is the importer who is legally responsible for any damage to objects or people, you must absolutely avoid importing electronic cigarettes that do not comply with the certification standards required in the country of importation.
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