Germany is warning of the risks of "cooling agents" in e-liquids and is considering banning several of them.

A recent study by the German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR) highlights potential health risks associated with the use of cooling agents in e-liquids for electronic cigarettes. Some of these substances could have harmful effects on health, even at low doses, particularly on the liver and kidneys. In light of these risks, German authorities are considering stricter regulations, including a ban on several flavoring agents, while experts are urging caution and a reduction in e-cigarette use.[1].

Scientific data indicates that dangerous substances are present even in small doses.

Cooling agents are added to e-liquids to produce a cooling sensation in the mouth and throat. These are various chemical substances, often synthetic, some of which are odorless and tasteless, while others, such as menthol, menthyl acetate, or eucalyptol, have pronounced aromatic characteristics. Concentrations vary considerably between products and are sometimes present at high levels.

The study's conclusions are primarily based on animal experiments involving rats and mice and oral ingestion. In the absence of specific data, chemically similar substances were sometimes used as references.

The BfR evaluation focused in particular on the substances Isopulegol/Coolact P, Menthylacetate, L-menthyl lactate, menthol, Coolact 10, menthone, Frescolat MGA, eucalyptol and WS-12, complementing previous analyses on WS-23, WS-3 and WS-5.

For three substances (WS-12, Frescolat MGA and menthyl lactate), adverse health effects could not be ruled out, even with a daily consumption of just one milliliter.

The BfR estimates that a long-term health risk is possible from average consumption, estimated at around five milliliters of liquid per day. All agents of this type evaluated to date present a risk of lasting damage to organs such as the liver and kidneys.

The BfR also points out that actual exposure could be higher, as many e-liquids contain mixtures of several cooling agents. The BfR has, for example, become aware of mixtures containing up to eight different cooling agents.

The BfR recommends reducing or even stopping the use of electronic cigarettes as a precaution.

To date, no regulatory threshold has been established to define safe exposure levels for these substances. The BfR (Belgian Federal Institute for Risk Assessment) has relied on NOAEL (No Observed Adverse Effect Level) values from animal studies, in which liver and kidney damage were frequently observed. However, the Institute emphasizes the uncertainties related to the lack of data, particularly concerning inhalation and pulmonary effects.

The BfR therefore recommends that consumers avoid e-liquids containing cooling agents and reminds them that although electronic cigarettes are considered less harmful than cigarettes, their long-term effects remain imperfectly known.

The prevalence of e-cigarette use in Germany was 2% of the adult population in 2023.[2]. By comparison, smoking prevalence is much higher; Germany pays a heavy price for smoking with 120,000 premature deaths each year.

Health professionals advocate developing care for smokers based on validated and safe treatments rather than directing them towards electronic cigarettes.

Therefore, as a precaution, the Institute advises against using electronic cigarettes altogether, as the inhaled vapors can still be harmful and carcinogenic. The risks to physical and mental health associated with these products are being discovered as independent scientific research progresses. In addition, they are highly addictive due to the nicotine they contain.

In response, the government plans to ban certain cooling agents in e-liquids, including menthol.

In this context, the German Federal Minister of Food and Agriculture, Alois Rainer, initiated a regulatory amendment to the Tobacco Products Ordinance, aimed at banning the use of 13 flavoring and cooling substances, including eucalyptol and menthol, which have already been banned from conventional cigarettes throughout the EU since 2020.[3].

The ministry justified this measure by the knock-on effect of cooling agents: the sensation of coolness masks the harshness of nicotine and thus facilitates the initiation of smoking or electronic cigarettes, especially among young people who underestimate the harmfulness of these products.

Pulmonologists welcomed the government's announcement: "Children and adolescents, in particular, would benefit from it. »"This is what Professor Stefan Andreas of the German Society of Pulmonology and Respiratory Medicine (DGP) stated."« The DGP welcomes the ban on menthol in electronic cigarettes. ".

German representatives of the tobacco and nicotine industry, for their part, asserted that approximately 80% of e-cigarettes contain menthol, and that such a ban would amount to prohibiting most e-cigarettes in the country, acknowledging that the flavors are intended to normalize vaping and attract new customers.[4].

The draft regulation is currently being reviewed by the government, after which the federal states and associations will be able to submit their comments. The date of the Federal Council's decision remains undetermined.

Recently, Germany has also expressed its willingness to join the list of countries that are considering or have already banned disposable electronic cigarettes or "puffs".« (France, Belgium, United Kingdom, Ireland, Switzerland, Austria…), due to their health and environmental hazards.

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[1]BfR warns of »Cooling Agents« in E-Zigaretten, Pharmazeutische Zeitung, published on January 26, 2026, accessed on January 27, 2026

[2]WHO global report on trends in prevalence of tobacco use 2000–2024 and projections 2025–2030 (6th edition), World Health Organization, published on October 6, 2025, accessed on January 27, 2026

[3]Felix Schneider, Experts in alarm: Bundesamt warnt vor Organschäden durch E-Zigaretten, news.de, published on January 26, 2026, accessed on January 27, 2026

[4]Lena Glöckner, Rauchen: Lungenärzte atmen auf! Regierung will Menthol-Vapes verbieten, BILD, published on January 22, 2026, accessed on January 27, 2026

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