3 min read
The Flavor Black Market: What Happens When the State Bans the Taste You Need to Stay Quit
Flavor bans don't eliminate the demand for flavored vaping products. They eliminate the legal supply. The demand migrates to DIY mixing, cross-border purchasing, and illicit sources. The flavor black market is a predictable—and predicted—consequence.
When Massachusetts banned flavored vaping products, the DIY e-liquid community grew. When San Francisco banned flavors, cross-border purchasing increased. **Flavor bans don't eliminate demand. They eliminate the legal supply—and the demand migrates to channels that are less regulated, less safe, and less accountable. The flavor black market is a predictable consequence of prohibition. It was predicted by harm reduction advocates before the bans were implemented. The prediction was correct.**
