Entries by Matthew Ma

San Antonio, Texas Bans Vaping in Public Places, Aligning with Existing Smoking Ordinance

City Council Unanimously Approves Addition of E-Cigarettes to Indoor Smoking Prohibition, Effective January 1, 2025 The San Antonio City Council has unanimously voted to add vaping to the city’s smoking ordinance, effectively banning the use of e-cigarettes in all enclosed public spaces, including restaurants, bars, and other public places. The new regulations will take effect […]

Vietnam Bans Vapes, Imposes Hefty Fines on Tourists and Jail Time for E-Cigarette Traders and Producers

New Rules Effective January 1, 2025, Aimed at Addressing Health Concerns Over Irreversible Lung Damage Vietnam has joined a growing list of countries, including Singapore, Thailand, India, and Australia, in banning travelers from bringing e-cigarettes into the country. As of January 1, 2025, tourists arriving in Vietnam with vapes face substantial fines under new rules […]

Latvia Bans Flavored Tobacco Products and Introduces Stricter Regulations

Latvia has implemented a comprehensive ban on the sale of flavored e-liquids for electronic smoking devices and tobacco substitutes, as part of a broader effort to curb youth access to tobacco products and promote public health. The new regulations also raise the legal age for purchasing all types of tobacco products to 20 years old.

Estonia Currently Has No Plans to Ban Disposable Vapes

Ministry of Social Affairs Favors EU-Wide Regulatory System Over Individual State Bans Estonia currently has no plans to ban the sale of disposable e-cigarettes, despite Belgium becoming the first EU member state to implement such a ban starting January 1, 2025. Aive Telling, head of the Department of Environmental Protection and Chemical Safety at the […]

Italy Introduces New E-Cigarette Tax and Online Nicotine Sales Ban in 2025

Vaping Market Faces Significant Changes as Government Implements Stricter Regulations On January 1, 2025, two significant changes will come into effect in the Italian vaping market, despite the government and Parliament not directly intervening in this year’s budget law to modify vaping regulations. These changes, although anticipated for some time, are expected to have a […]

Heath, Ohio to Regulate Flavored Tobacco and Vape Sales Starting January 2025

Licking County Board of Health to Conduct Annual Inspections of Retail Stores Selling ENDS Products A new ordinance in the city of Heath, Ohio, will take effect on January 1, 2025, regulating the sale of electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS) to ensure that only FDA-approved products are available for purchase at local stores. The ordinance, […]

Iowa Delays Vaping Regulation Law Amid Lawsuit from Local Businesses

The implementation of Iowa’s law regulating e-cigarettes and vaping products has been delayed following a lawsuit filed by a group of local businesses called Iowans For Alternatives to Smoking & Tobacco (IFAST) on December 17, 2022. The state agreed to postpone enforcement of the law, which was set to take effect on February 3, 2023. […]

Russian State Duma Discusses Total Ban on Vape and E-Liquid Sales

Communist Party Bill Aims to Strengthen National Public Health by Prohibiting Vaping Devices and Liquids The Russian State Duma is currently discussing a bill introduced by Communist Party deputies that seeks to completely prohibit the sale of vaping devices and associated liquids, both with and without nicotine. The initiative aims to curb the proliferation of […]

Latvian Tobacco Sellers Seek Loopholes to Circumvent New Ban on Products and Vapes

Companies Scramble to Find Alternatives as Tighter Restrictions Take Effect in January 2025 Tobacco sellers in Latvia are scrambling to find loopholes to circumvent the country’s new law that tightens rules on selling tobacco products and substitutes. The Baltic nation’s move to restrict the sale of these products has prompted businesses to seek alternative ways […]