The UK government has introduced the Tobacco and Vapes Bill, a groundbreaking legislation aimed at creating a smoke-free nation and tackling the growing concern of youth vaping. This comprehensive bill encompasses a wide range of measures designed to phase out the sale of tobacco products, regulate the advertising and sponsorship of vapes and nicotine products, and strengthen enforcement activities.
Read moreIn a recent session of the National Assembly, Minister of Industry and Trade Nguyen Hong Dien addressed the growing concerns surrounding e-cigarettes and heated cigarettes in Vietnam. While tobacco is a regulated business under the Law on Prevention of Tobacco Harms and the Government’s Decree 67/2013, new generation cigarettes have not been clearly defined in the relevant legal documents, leading to a long-standing legal loophole.
Read moreThe Peruvian Congress has enacted Law No. 32159, which establishes measures to control the consumption of tobacco products, nicotine, and their substitutes to protect life and health. This legislation modifies previous regulations related to the topic and marks the first time that electronic cigarettes have been regulated in the country.
Read moreSweden has made history by becoming the world’s first officially “smoke-free” nation, according to sensational government figures released today. The Swedish public health agency’s official health data shows that a mere 4.5% of Swedish-born adults smoke, significantly below the globally recognized benchmark of 5% for smoke-free status.
Read moreMembers of Parliament (MPs) from the ruling Smer-SD party have submitted a proposal to amend the law on the production, labeling, and sale of tobacco products and related products, aiming to ban the sale of flavored nicotine products and disposable electronic cigarettes in Slovakia. The MPs seek to reduce the attractiveness of these products to minors.
Read moreIowa has taken a significant step towards protecting children from harmful, illicit vapes by passing the vapor directory during the recent legislative session. The new law, set to take effect on January 2, 2025, provides the state with a clear understanding of which e-cigarette products are legal for sale and establishes an enforcement mechanism to ensure compliance.
Read moreThe First Chamber of the Supreme Court of Justice of the Nation (SCJN) determined today that the prohibition on importing e-cigarettes and related products is unconstitutional. The ruling, based on the decree of the Law of General Import and Export Taxes promulgated on June 7, 2022, was approved by a majority after analyzing the project presented by Minister Jorge Pardo Rebolledo.
Read moreThe Greek government has announced plans to introduce a new bill in Parliament that will impose stricter penalties on businesses caught selling alcohol, electronic cigarettes, and vaping devices to minors. This joint decision by the ministries of Citizen Protection, Justice, and Health comes in response to repeated incidents of alcohol sales to underage individuals.
Read moreChris Doel has taken a unique approach to addressing the e-waste epidemic caused by disposable vapes. He collected 130 used vape batteries, the larger “3,500 puff” types with model 20400 cells, which he found littered at a music festival. Doel then repurposed these batteries to create a powerful 48-volt, 1,500-watt e-bike battery that propelled an e-bike for more than 20 miles with minimal pedaling.
Read moreThe District Court in The Hague has ruled that the Dutch government had the right to impose a ban on flavored e-cigarettes to protect public health. The court made this decision in a substantive procedure initiated by tobacco product manufacturer British American Tobacco (BAT) and its affiliated company Nicoventures, who argued that the ban was unlawful.
The court stated that the harmfulness of e-cigarettes and the “attractiveness” of sweet flavors to young people are sufficiently established. The 2020 ban allows only certain types of tobacco flavors to be added to e-cigarettes, primarily because young people are sensitive to other flavors, particularly sweet ones. The government also saw indications that sweet-flavored e-cigarettes may eventually lead to smoking regular cigarettes, while the government aims for a “smoke-free generation” by 2040.
According to the court, the potential for e-cigarettes to encourage smoking regular cigarettes does not need to be scientifically proven for a ban to be implemented. The harmfulness of e-cigarettes and the attractiveness of sweet flavors to young people alone justify the flavor ban.
The court acknowledged that the flavor ban infringes on the free movement of goods within the EU but stated that such an infringement may be allowed to protect public health if it is “appropriate, necessary, and proportionate.” The court recognized that the state has the “political discretion to give greater weight to the interests of youth and of a future smoke-free generation in the context of public health.”