Panama’s Ministry of Health Regulates Sale and Use of E-Cigarettes

New Resolution Prohibits Vaping in Public Spaces and Restricts Advertising

The Panamanian Ministry of Health (Minsa) has introduced new regulations on the sale, use, and advertising of electronic cigarettes, also known as vapes, as well as heated tobacco and oral nicotine products in Panama. The measures, outlined in Resolution No. 146 of January 31, 2025, and published in the Official Gazette on Thursday, February 13, aim to protect public health and minimize exposure to harmful vapors.

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Bulgarian Vapers Rally Against National Ban with EU-Wide Petition

A growing coalition of vaping advocates has launched a formal petition to the European Parliament opposing Bulgaria’s sweeping prohibition on e-cigarettes. The group, operating under the Discord Vape banner, argues the ban unlawfully restricts adult access to harm-reduction tools while failing to address youth access issues effectively. With 8,000 members linked to Discord’s global 150-million-user platform, the coalition has already gathered 300 signatures within 24 hours of launching its campaign.

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France Becomes Second EU Country to Ban Single-Use E-Cigarettes

The French parliament has voted to ban single-use electronic cigarettes, also known as disposable vapes or “puffs,” making France the second European Union country after Belgium to introduce such a ban. The bill, which received final approval in the Senate upper house on Thursday, is part of a broader government campaign to reduce smoking and protect public health, particularly among young people.

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France Bans Disposable Vapes as New Nicotine Products Flood Market

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France’s Parliament will finalize a ban on disposable e-cigarettes (“vapes”) this week, closing a two-year legislative process delayed by EU notifications and political shifts. The move targets colorful, low-cost vapes accused of addicting youth through sugary flavors and plastic waste. Health advocates warn, however, that nicotine pouches and candy-like nicotine pearls now dominate the market, demanding urgent regulatory action.

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Maldives Grants Police Expanded Powers to Confiscate and Destroy Vapes

The Maldives Ministry of Health has enacted stringent tobacco control measures granting police authority to seize and destroy vaping devices found in public or private possession. The updated Tobacco Control General Regulations, gazetted this week, close enforcement loopholes in the nation’s December 2024 vape import and usage ban.

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California and Denver Ban Flavored Nicotine Analog Products

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In a significant development for tobacco control policy, the state of California and the city and county of Denver have recently implemented what appear to be the nation’s first bans on flavored tobacco products that specifically include nicotinic alkaloids and nicotine analogs. These novel restrictions come as regulators grapple with the increasing popularity of products that use compounds chemically similar to nicotine but fall outside the scope of existing tobacco laws.

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Canada Delays Vape Flavor Ban Amid Smoking Cessation Evidence

Canada has temporarily halted its proposed ban on flavored vaping products, Mental Health and Addictions Minister Ya’ara Saks confirmed in January 2025. The decision follows intense lobbying by tobacco harm reduction advocates and new evidence highlighting flavors’ role in helping adults quit smoking. However, activists warn the reprieve may end after the next federal election.

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Brazil Considers Bill to Criminalize E-Cigarette Sales and Ads

A new bill under consideration in Brazil’s Chamber of Deputies aims to criminalize the sale, importation, and advertising of electronic cigarettes. The proposed legislation, introduced by Congresswoman Gisela Simona (União-MT), would impose penalties of two to four years imprisonment and fines for anyone who sells, imports, or advertises e-cigarettes without registration from the National Health Surveillance Agency (Anvisa).

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Switzerland: Basel-Stadt Rejects Ban on Disposable Vapes

The government of the Swiss canton of Basel-Stadt has rejected a proposal to ban the sale of disposable vapes, despite sympathizing with the measure’s intentions. In a statement released on Tuesday, the cantonal executive said that a motion put forward in the Great Council (the canton’s parliament) would violate “higher-ranking law” and is therefore inadmissible.

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Bulgarian Parliament’s Economic Policy Committee Approves Full Ban on Vaping Devices

The Bulgarian National Assembly’s Economic Policy Committee unanimously approved amendments to the Tobacco, Tobacco Products, and Related Products Act that would introduce a complete ban on the sale, distribution, and advertising of single-use and reusable electronic cigarettes, also known as vapes, and similar devices, regardless of whether they contain nicotine. The proposed changes were introduced by Dr. Kostadin Angelov, chair of the parliament’s Health Committee, on February 7, 2025.

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