France: Skull and bones "Toxic" pictogram no longer mandatory on nicotine e-juices

France: Skull and bones “Toxic” pictogram no longer mandatory on nicotine e-juices

Matter of debate, the skull and crossed bones pictogram symbolizing acute toxicity is no longer required on e-liquid bottles in France after an update issued last July by the Directorate-General for Competition, Consumer Affairs and Prevention of Fraud (DGCCRF).

Julien Sellier

September 13, 2016

The DGCCRF used to classify e-liquids into three categories:

Those containing between 0 and 0.25% nicotine were not required to bear any label.
Those containing between 0.25% and 0.50% nicotine had to show the “Harmful” pictogram bearing an exclamation mark (!).
Finally, the presence of the “Toxic” pictogram with skull and bones, was mandatory on bottles containing between 0.5% and 2.5% nicotine, namely with nicotine strength between 2 and 25 mg/ml.

Only two categories remain

July 2016’s update of the DGCCRF factsheet “electronic cigarette” does not require the presence of the “Toxic” skull and bones pictogram on bottles containing 0.5% to 2.5% nicotine. The maximum strength allowed after the TPD is 20 mg/ml or 2.0% nicotine. Actually, the e-liquids containing more than 0.25% nicotine (2.5 mg/ml) must continue to exhibit the exclamation mark.

Note that the former nomenclature (orange pictograms) coexists with the new one until June 2017 and that the e-juices produced between June 2015 and July 2016 can still show the skull and bones pictogram.

In May 2016, after the analyses carried out by the INERIS, Gaiatrend (Alfaliquid) managed to have the pictogram “Harmful” removed from FR-M e-juices containing 6 mg/ml and the pictogram “Toxic” removed from FR-M e-juices with higher strengths.