Oregon lawmakers are pushing for a statewide ban on the sale of flavored tobacco products, including vapes and e-cigarettes, in an effort to curb teen vaping. Senate Bill 702, sponsored by state lawmaker and pediatric dentist Hai Pham of Beaverton, is expected to head to the Senate floor for a vote this week.
Read moreAccording to a comprehensive survey of living conditions conducted by Rosstat, the number of heavy smokers who consume a pack of cigarettes a day in Russia fell to a record low of 40% in 2024, down from 46.7% two years earlier.
The survey, which covers 60,000 households from various groups and strata of the population across all regions of Russia, found that one in four residents over the age of 15 smokes (25.5%), a slight decrease from 26.1% in 2022. Of these, 17.8% smoke daily, while 7.7% smoke occasionally. The majority of the population (64.9%) have never smoked, and 9.5% have successfully quit the habit.
Among smokers, 4.4% consume more than one pack of cigarettes a day, while 35.6% smoke up to one pack. These figures have decreased from 4.6% and 42.1% respectively, compared to two years ago. The proportion of those who smoke five to ten cigarettes a day has remained relatively stable, at 35.2% in 2024 and 35.9% in 2022. One in four smokers (24.8%) consumes one to five cigarettes a day, up from 18.1% two years ago.
The survey also revealed that the majority of people (65.3%) start smoking between the ages of 15 and 20, while 22.8% take up the habit between 21 and 30 years old. Only 2.5% of smokers begin after the age of 30.
There is a significant gender disparity in smoking prevalence, with 44.3% of men smoking daily or occasionally, compared to just 10.1% of women. Among daily smokers, 32.7% are men, while only 5.6% are women.
The Rosstat survey, conducted every two years, provides valuable insights into the smoking habits of the Russian population and the progress made in reducing the prevalence of heavy smoking in the country.
- News source: В России стало рекордно мало заядлых курильщиков
As the UK’s groundbreaking Tobacco and Vapes Bill makes its way through Parliament, a group of MPs is urging the government to go even further in its efforts to reduce smoking rates and protect public health. The All Party Parliamentary Group on Smoking and Health has released a report calling for a “Polluter Pays” levy on tobacco firms, which would raise £700 million to fund initiatives aimed at lowering smoking rates and closing the gap in healthy life expectancy.
Read moreThe FDA’s recent leadership overhaul continues to send shockwaves through the agency, leaving a critical leadership vacuum and raising concerns about its ability to fulfill its mission of ensuring public health. On April 01, the FDA’s chief tobacco regulator, Brian King, was placed on administrative leave, marking the latest chapter in a sweeping purge that has affected multiple departments within the agency. The restructuring has particularly targeted the FDA’s tobacco division, which has been a focal point of debate over policies regarding vaping and e-cigarette regulation.
Read moreAustralia has implemented mandatory changes to cigarettes as part of the government’s efforts to ramp up health messaging over tobacco products. As of April 01/2025, Australia has become the second country in the world, after Canada, to introduce health warnings on individual cigarettes.
Read morePoland’s President Andrzej Duda signed an amendment to the country’s Tobacco Act on April 01/2025, prohibiting the sale of flavored heated tobacco products. The new regulations will come into force this April, giving manufacturers and retailers nine months to adapt to the changes.
Read moreAs several bills aimed at significantly complicating the sale of electronic cigarettes in Russia are being discussed in the federal government and the State Duma (SD), industry experts warn that overly restrictive measures could drive the market underground, leading to illegal sales via messaging apps, the internet, or even from cardboard boxes on the street.
Read morePoland’s e-cigarette regulations have taken a chaotic turn as the Ministry of Health surprised everyone with a new draft bill proposing a complete ban on e-cigarette sales, despite an existing bill in the Sejm that only prohibits sales to minors and nicotine-free e-cigarettes. This legislative overproduction has left many questioning the government’s coordination and control over key economic sectors.
Read moreGibraltar’s Minister for Health, Gemma Arias-Vasquez, has published a Command Paper outlining draft legislation that aims to create a smoke-free generation and regulate the sale of nicotine products. The proposed law would prohibit the sale of tobacco to anyone born on or after January 1, 2009, effectively coming into force in 2027 when this group reaches the age of 18.
Read moreAs of April 1/2025, retailers in Belgium are no longer allowed to display tobacco products at points of sale, following an amendment to the consumer health protection law of January 24, 1977. The ban encompasses cigarettes, cigars, rolling papers, water pipe tobacco, and e-cigarettes, and prohibits the sale of these products in food stores larger than 400 square meters.
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