Antitobacco Groups Urge Swift Action to Protect Public Health
Leading tobacco control organizations are calling on Addictions Minister Ya’ara Saks to swiftly remove flavoured vaping products from the market, as promised earlier this fall. The groups cite recent Canadian studies as further evidence of the harm caused by the federal government’s three-and-a-half-year delay in finalizing these critical regulations.
Read moreSixteen European Union countries, led by the Netherlands, have called on the European Commission to propose a new law in the coming months that would include electronic cigarettes (vapes) in the bloc’s tobacco taxation legislation. The current EU tobacco taxation law, dating back to 2011, does not cover these new products, leading to fragmentation and an uneven playing field across the bloc.
The initiative, supported by Croatia, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Latvia, Slovakia, Spain, Belgium, Bulgaria, Ireland, Slovenia, and Portugal, highlights the shortcomings of the existing legislation in addressing the challenges faced by Member States’ administrations. In a letter to the Commission, finance ministers from these countries argue that the current directive’s provisions are insufficient or too narrow to effectively regulate vaping products.
Due to the lack of comprehensive EU legislation, Member States have taken appropriate actions at the national level, resulting in a patchwork of rules and regulations. This fragmentation has led to an uneven playing field and, ultimately, the distortion of the EU’s internal market.
The update to the EU tobacco taxation law, originally due at the end of 2022, has been delayed. The 16 governments now urge the new Commission, which took office on December 1 for the next five years, to address this issue as a matter of urgency.
While the European Commission has set some regulatory standards for e-cigarettes, including limits on nicotine content and labeling requirements, the rules still vary significantly from country to country. In France, for example, people under the age of 18 cannot buy vapes, and their use is banned in certain public places, including universities and on public transport. Italy, on the other hand, lifted a ban on using electronic cigarettes in public in 2013, although their use in or near schools remains forbidden.
Disposable vapes have attracted particular attention from lawmakers in some European Union countries amid growing environmental and health concerns. The German Federal Council, the upper house of parliament, has called on the government to push for a similar ban on disposable vapes across the EU.
As the debate over the regulation and taxation of vaping products continues, the 16 EU countries’ initiative underscores the need for a harmonized approach to address the challenges posed by these new products and ensure a level playing field within the bloc’s internal market.
Draft Royal Decree Aims to Regulate E-Cigarettes and Nicotine Pouches
Spain’s Ministry of Health has proposed a new royal decree that aims to ban flavored and aromatic vapes in an effort to steer the smoking devices away from the youngest sector of the population. The vaping craze has caught on among young people in Spain, causing issues with social interactions and becoming a gateway to smoking.
Read moreThe U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced on December 5 that it has issued warning letters to 115 brick-and-mortar retailers for selling unauthorized e-cigarette products. The warning letters specifically cite the sale of disposable e-cigarette products owned by Chinese manufacturers and marketed under popular brand names, including Geek Bar Pulse, Geek Bar Skyview, Geek Bar Platinum, and Elf Bar.
Read moreA recent review conducted by the In Silico research team, a project led by the Center of Excellence for the Acceleration of Harm Reduction (CoEHAR) at the University of Catania, has found that e-cigarettes are more effective compared to other treatments used for smoking cessation.
Read moreIn a meeting of health ministers in Brussels on Tuesday, European countries largely supported the European Commission’s plan to extend smoking bans for cigarettes and vapes to outdoor areas. This decision comes just days after members of the European Parliament opposed the measure. Germany and Greece were the only two countries to abstain from the vote, while other countries expressed dissatisfaction before ultimately passing the nonbinding recommendation.
Read moreThe European Union is set to introduce tougher anti-smoking regulations, including bans on smoking and vaping in various outdoor areas such as playgrounds and cafe patios. Health ministers from the EU’s 27 member states will discuss the recommendation during their meeting in Brussels on Tuesday.
Read moreThe Mexican Chamber of Deputies has approved, in general terms, a constitutional amendment to prohibit the use of vaping devices, e-cigarettes, and illicit fentanyl. The measure passed with an overwhelming majority of 410 votes in favor, 24 against, and zero abstentions.
Read moreEU health ministers are set to support stricter anti-smoking rules during their meeting in Brussels on Tuesday, backing bans on smoking and vaping in various outdoor areas, including playgrounds and cafe patios. The ministers will consider a non-binding recommendation that invites member states to crack down on second-hand smoke and vapor, which is likely to be approved despite political divisions on the issue.
Read moreThe Supreme Court (SCOTUS) has begun hearing arguments on whether to overturn the Trump-era Food and Drug Administration (FDA) ban on fruit-flavored vapes. The current regulations, implemented during the first Trump Administration in 2019, grant the FDA the power to deny marketing applications for fruit and mint flavored e-cigarettes. The ban was introduced in response to record-high youth vaping rates, with fruit-flavored tobacco products seen as a significant contributor to the number of children choosing to vape.
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