British American Tobacco will be the first to launch synthetic nicotine e-cigarettes in South Korea

                                                * Smoking is harmful to health, minors are prohibited from using e-cigarettes, non-smokers are not recommended to use e-cigarettes

British American Tobacco Group (BAT) will launch its synthetic nicotine vapor e-cigarette “Nomad” in South Korea at the end of this month. Launched by BAT Rothmans, a Korean subsidiary of BAT Group, the new product has a capacity of 10 ml and is priced at 17,000 won (about 87 yuan).

Since South Korea does not list synthetic nicotine vape as tobacco products, British American Tobacco has decided to only launch this synthetic nicotine vape in South Korea. Since synthetic nicotine e-cigarettes are not considered tobacco products in South Korea, they are not subject to tobacco-related taxes and can therefore be sold at a cheaper price than cigarettes or heated cigarettes. In addition, unlike regular cigarettes, synthetic nicotine e-cigarettes can be sold online, increasing the risk of purchase by teenagers.

In this regard, Park Seung Hoon, a member of the Korean National Force Party, submitted an amendment in July this year, and other lawmakers submitted relevant proposals to incorporate synthetic nicotine into the regulation. South Korea’s Ministry of Planning and Finance said it would decide whether to include synthetic nicotine e-cigarettes in the scope of the Tobacco Industry Act after the Ministry of Health and Welfare and the Ministry of food and drug safety complete relevant studies in December.