Maldives Implements Comprehensive Vaping Ban, Doubles Cigarette Prices

Tourists Prohibited from Bringing Vaping Devices as Government Takes Strong Stance Against Smoking

The Maldives has implemented a sweeping ban on vaping, making it illegal to import, use, possess, manufacture, sell, advertise, or distribute e-cigarettes and related products. The import ban took effect on November 15, while the prohibition on all other aspects of vaping came into force on Sunday, December 15. Alongside the vaping ban, the government has also significantly increased tobacco tariffs, resulting in the doubling of cigarette prices.

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Northern Ireland Postpones Single-Use Vape Ban by Two Months

New Effective Date Set for June 1, Aligning with UK-Wide Regulations

Environment Minister Andrew Muir has announced that the ban on the sale and supply of single-use vapes in Northern Ireland will be delayed by two months. Originally slated to take effect in April 2025, the ban will now come into force on June 1, coinciding with planned legislation being developed by the Scottish, Welsh, and UK governments.

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Brazilian Tax Authority Intensifies Enforcement, Suspends CNPJs of Stores Selling E-Cigarettes

New Measures Target Clandestine Sale of Products Prohibited by Anvisa Since 2009

The Brazilian Federal Revenue Service (Receita Federal) has intensified its enforcement efforts against the sale of electronic cigarettes, which have been prohibited in Brazil since 2009 by determination of the National Health Surveillance Agency (Anvisa). The clandestine sale of these products, openly displayed in shop windows of popular malls and commercial centers, now faces severe penalties, including the suspension and even cancellation of the National Registry of Legal Entities (CNPJ) for repeat offenders.

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Philippine DTI Revises Technical Regulations for Vape Products

The Philippine Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) is in the process of revising the regulations for vape products, according to Perpetua Werlina Lim, the assistant director for the DTI’s consumer policy and advocacy bureau. The revisions, which are expected to bring significant changes to the auditing process for companies selling these consumer goods, will affect Department Administrative Order (DAO) No. 22-06 and DAO No. 24-02.

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Indonesia’s Finance Minister Raises E-Cigarette Prices Starting 2025

Sri Mulyani Indrawati Issues Regulation to Control Tobacco Consumption and Protect Labor-Intensive Industries

Indonesia’s Minister of Finance, Sri Mulyani Indrawati, has officially issued a regulation setting minimum retail selling price limits for e-cigarettes and other tobacco processing products. The regulation, known as Minister of Finance Regulation (PMK) Number 96 of 2024, will take effect on January 1, 2025.

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Milan Becomes First Italian City to Ban Smoking Outdoors, Imposes Hefty Fines

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New Regulations Aim to Reduce Pollution and Improve Public Health, Sparking Controversy

Milan, the capital of Lombardy, has become the first city in Italy to ban smoking outdoors, with the new regulations set to take effect on January 1, 2025. The ban prohibits smoking in open-air public spaces unless smokers maintain a minimum distance of 10 meters from other people. Violators face fines ranging from 40 to 240 euros, as reported by the Italian publication Fanpage.

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Indonesia Announces Increase in Retail Selling Prices for Conventional and Electric Cigarettes in 2025

Directorate General of Customs and Excise Cites Health Control and Downtrading Mitigation as Key Considerations

The Directorate General of Customs and Excise (DJBC) of the Indonesian Ministry of Finance has announced that the retail selling prices (HJE) for conventional and electric cigarettes will increase in 2025. Director General of Customs and Excise Askolani stated that this move is part of the government’s strategy to manage cigarette excise policy without raising the Tobacco Excise (CHT) tariff.

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Germany Moves Towards Nationwide Ban on Disposable E-Cigarettes

Federal Council Clears the Way for Prohibition, Citing Health, Fire, and Resource Concerns

The German Federal Council (Bundesrat) has paved the way for a nationwide ban on disposable e-cigarettes by voting in favor of an amendment to the draft modification of the Electrical and Electronic Equipment Act (ElektroG). The majority of representatives from the federal states supported the amendment, which aims to restrict the use of single-use vaping devices.

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Jersey Bans Disposable Vapes Starting in 2025 to Address Environmental Concerns

States Assembly Unanimously Approves Ban, Shops Allowed to Sell Off Remaining Stock

The States Assembly of Jersey has unanimously approved a ban on disposable vapes, set to take effect in 2025. The decision, which received 45 votes in favor and zero votes against, aims to address the growing environmental impact of single-use vaping devices.

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Austria to Introduce Tax on E-Cigarette Nicotine, Aims to Boost State Revenue

Monopoly Office Chief Calls for Equalizing Tobacco and E-Cigarette Taxation, Cites Public Health Concerns

The Austrian government plans to introduce a new tax on nicotine in e-cigarettes, which will allow for additional funds to be channeled into the state treasury, according to a report by the Kronen Zeitung newspaper on December 11.

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