WVS NEWS: GCC States Close to Establishing Unified Rules for Electronic Tobacco Alternatives
The UAE’s Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology (MOIAT) proposed and drafted both standards, with approval and voting from various Gulf standardisation bodies.
Abdullah Alhadlaq, head of the Technical Committees at the GSO, told ECigIntelligence that, once approved, the proposed GSO 2805:2025 should be adopted across all GCC countries. Ahmed Albashah, head of the Standards Department at the GSO, emphasised that, while the final draft has been approved, it remains subject to amendments before official adoption. He noted that the draft has undergone nearly five years of discussions with multiple stakeholders and technical experts to align with international best practices and regulatory requirements.
He further explained that access to the document is currently restricted to members of the relevant technical committee, preventing its public release until it receives full regulatory approval. This is standard practice to avoid premature dissemination of incomplete information. Once officially adopted, the standard will be circulated to all relevant authorities and made available for implementation across GCC countries.
Restrictions likely on packaging, ingredients and product safety
Correspondence with GSO officials confirmed that the proposed standard is currently in the adoption phase, and is expected to be finalised in May 2025. Anonymous sources told ECigIntelligence that the proposed standard will likely ban cocoa, vanilla, coffee, tea, candy, cola and alcohol flavours; introduce expanded and specific standards to e-liquids; as well as impose thorough health warnings on packaging, with an explicit statement regarding e-liquids, warning users that the product may pose a health hazard when it is inhaled, swallowed, or gets in contact with the skin. This matches ECigIntelligence’s analysis in our report on Saudi Arabia’s e-cigarette regulation in 2024, which projected that the draft standard would introduce requirements in the areas of health warnings, packaging, and labelling.
The MOIAT told ECigIntelligence that the proposed GSO 2805:2025 serves as a broader adaptation of UAE standard 5030:2018, which has been widely adopted throughout the GCC countries. For instance, Bahrain’s BH 2:2021 is nearly identical.
The UAE standard imposes restrictions on packaging, ingredients and product safety. Products must be sealed, leak-proof and child-resistant, with clear warnings in Arabic and English. It also bans advertising, discounts and claims of reduced harm or therapeutic benefits. Additionally, certain ingredients – such as vitamins, stimulants like caffeine and taurine, and artificial colours affecting emissions – are prohibited, alongside harmful substances like carcinogens and narcotics. Any modifications to an e-liquid’s composition, except for nicotine, require approval, while importation is restricted without safety testing, including toxicity studies, and manufacturers must disclose all ingredients and emission levels.
The timeline for GSO 2805:2025’s implementation remains uncertain, but adoption is expected in the coming months as the approval process nears completion.
Aligning member states
According to Albashah, the primary objective of the project is to standardise regulations across all GCC countries, enhancing economic integration and public health safety while ensuring consistent policies among member states.
While Kuwait, Bahrain, and the UAE have already implemented the UAE standard, Saudi Arabia will need to align its regulations.
The Saudi standard SFDA.FD 5005:2020 closely follows the UAE standard, but with some key differences. These include variations in built-in e-liquid tank capacity, refill container limits, and differences in warning label wording, despite conveying the same message.
However, this standard does not guarantee that Oman and Qatar will lift their bans on electronic nicotine products anytime soon.
Interestingly, despite maintaining their bans and issuing frequent public warnings against electronic nicotine products, both Qatar and Oman participated in the voting process for GSO 2805:2025. This suggests a potential shift in perspective – acknowledging the growing market reality. While regulatory changes remain uncertain, the ongoing prohibition may inadvertently fuel illicit trade, making future policy adjustments more likely.
– Mohamed Ali Abuzaid ECigIntelligence contributing writer
