Biyesultan Khamzaev, a member of the State Duma Committee on Health Protection, has called for a complete ban on hookahs in Russia. In an interview with Duma TV, Khamzaev expressed grave concerns about the potential health risks associated with these popular smoking devices.
Read moreThe State Duma, the lower house of the Russian parliament, may consider a bill banning vapes during its spring session, according to Artem Metelev, head of the Duma Committee on Youth Policy. Metelev shared this information in a statement to TASS, a Russian news agency.
Read moreOn February 17, 2025, the Idaho House of Representatives introduced House Bill 244, a measure aimed at regulating electronic smoking devices in the state. Proposed by the Health and Welfare Committee, the bill seeks to identify and prohibit the sale of certain e-cigarette brands deemed illegal due to safety and compliance issues.
Read moreSouth Korea is on the cusp of passing legislation that will classify synthetic nicotine, the key ingredient in e-liquid vaping products, as “tobacco,” subject to stricter regulations. The National Assembly’s ruling and opposition parties have reached an agreement on the framework, which includes a partial grace period for existing e-liquid businesses regarding school proximity restrictions and taxation.
Read moreNew 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.
Read moreA 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.
Read moreThe 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.
Read moreFrance’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.
Read moreThe 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.
Read moreIn 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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