The Mexican Senate has approved reforms to the General Law for Tobacco Control with 97 votes in favor, aiming to significantly strengthen anti-smoking measures across the country. The initiative, now passed to the Federal Executive for promulgation, will prohibit all forms of tobacco product advertising, sponsorship, and promotion, both direct and indirect. It also bans incentives encouraging tobacco purchases, including promotional items displaying tobacco brand names or logos.
Read moreFollowing France’s move to expand its outdoor smoking ban effective July 1, 2025, German politicians, particularly from the SPD and Green parties, are renewing calls for stricter prohibitions on smoking and vaping in public outdoor spaces in Germany. The French law will ban smoking in areas frequented by children, such as beaches, parks, playgrounds, near schools, and at bus stops, with fines of €135, though it currently exempts café terraces and e-cigarettes.
Read moreThe European Commission is contemplating substantial increases in excise duties on tobacco products, including a potential 258% hike on rolling tobacco and a 139% rise for cigarettes, according to an internal impact assessment. The document, obtained by POLITICO, also reveals plans to introduce EU-wide taxation on currently untaxed or inconsistently taxed items like vapes (e-cigarettes) and heated tobacco products.
Read moreA coalition of Georgia lawmakers and prominent public health organizations is intensifying efforts to raise the state’s cigarette tax, which currently stands as the second-lowest in the nation. Advocates argue that an increase would not only discourage smoking and improve public health outcomes but also generate significant revenue to help offset the substantial healthcare costs associated with smoking-related illnesses. This renewed push comes as federal budget cuts impact state-level tobacco prevention programs.
Read moreThe City Council of Salta, Argentina, has approved a new ordinance declaring the city “Free of Tobacco Smoke and Electronic Device Emissions.” This measure, passed on Wednesday, prohibits both traditional smoking and the use of vaping devices (e-cigarettes) in numerous enclosed public and private access spaces.
Read moreDoctors in the Netherlands are threatening legal action against social media platform Snapchat, holding it responsible for facilitating the illegal sale of vapes, particularly to young people. This move comes after a ban on disposable vapes with sweet flavors took effect in the Netherlands on January 1, 2024, permitting only tobacco-flavored products in an effort to discourage youth vaping.
Read moreSlovakia’s Ministry of Health has announced plans to ban the sale of most flavored nicotine products and all disposable electronic cigarettes. The proposed prohibition targets tobacco products with distinct flavors considered attractive to youth, aiming to curb underage vaping.
Read moreCroatia is set to introduce a new excise duty on e-liquids used in electronic cigarettes (vapes) and increase existing taxes on other tobacco products, effective July 1st. The move, part of a government decree amending excise regulations, has caused significant concern among vape retailers, who warn it could lead to drastic price hikes and potentially the end of business for many.
Read moreSouth Korea is grappling with increasing e-cigarette use, especially among young people, prompting calls from bodies like the National Assembly Research Service for urgent regulatory action. A key concern is the current legal loophole for synthetic nicotine, which is not classified as a tobacco product under existing laws, thereby evading tobacco taxes and stricter sales regulations.
Read moreAs South Africa grapples with a significant increase in combustible tobacco smoking rates, the vaping industry is calling for a shift towards “smarter, evidence-based” nicotine policies. This plea comes as Parliament holds public consultations on the stringent Tobacco Products and Electronic Delivery Systems Control Bill, which seeks to impose stricter regulations on product processing, advertising, and packaging for both traditional tobacco and electronic delivery systems, including nicotine and non-nicotine vapes.
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