Will Texas Keep Kicking Kids Out of School for Vaping? DAEP Debate Rages

Texas lawmakers divided on whether to ease or strengthen mandatory DAEP placement for students caught vaping, amid concerns over effectiveness & fairness.

Texas lawmakers are currently debating the future of a controversial state law that mandates students caught with e-cigarettes on campus be removed to a disciplinary alternative education program (DAEP). The strict two-year-old rule has led to a significant spike in students being kicked out of their regular schools, prompting pushback from educators, some politicians, and public health officials who question its effectiveness and fairness.

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Russia May Ban Vape & Cigarette Sales at Bus Stops

Proposed Russian law seeks to prohibit sales of tobacco, vapes & hookahs at public transport stops to limit youth access & passive smoking.

Russian lawmakers are considering a bill that would prohibit the sale of cigarettes, vaping products, nicotine-containing items, and hookahs at all public transport stops across the country. The legislation, introduced to the State Duma by deputies from the Khabarovsk Territory, aims to reduce the accessibility of these products, particularly to students, and to combat passive smoking.

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Malaysia Consumer Group CAP Urges Nationwide Vape Ban

Highlights Rising Underage Use, Drug Lacing Concerns, and Calls for Stronger Federal Action

The Consumers Association of Penang (CAP) has issued an urgent call for both federal and state authorities in Malaysia to immediately ban the sale and use of all vape and e-cigarette products. Citing an escalating crisis of use among children and teenagers, some as young as eight, CAP emphasizes the need for decisive action to protect young lives.

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Jacksonville, Florida Bans All Smoking, Including Vaping, on Beaches

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City Council Unanimously Votes to Expand Restrictions; Fines and Misdemeanor Charges Possible

Beachgoers in Jacksonville, Florida, will no longer be able to smoke or vape on the sand. The City Council voted unanimously on Monday, May 5, to ban all forms of smoking, explicitly including electronic cigarettes and vaping products, on its beaches. The ban took effect immediately.

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Western Australia Bans Vaping in All Enclosed Workplaces

New Regulations Align E-cigarette Rules with Existing Smoking Bans to Protect Workers

Vaping and the use of e-cigarettes, including heated tobacco products, are now officially banned in all enclosed workplaces across Western Australia (WA). The state government has extended existing Work Health and Safety Regulations, which already covered tobacco smoking, to explicitly include these newer nicotine delivery systems.

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Iraq Announces Plan for Nationwide Ban on E-cigarettes

New Law to Prohibit Import, Sale, and Circulation of Vapes, Citing Health Risks

Iraq’s Ministry of Health is moving to implement a nationwide ban on the import, sale, and circulation of all electronic cigarettes (vapes), driven by escalating health concerns and a “disturbing increase” in their use among young people, including children and young girls. The announcement signals a significant shift in the country’s approach to nicotine products.

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Russia: Vologda Oblast Aims for Complete Vape Sales Ban

Governor Calls Vapes “Weapon of Genocide,” Seeks Regional Authority

Authorities in Russia’s Vologda Oblast intend to implement a complete ban on the sale of vapes and other smoking mixtures, according to Governor Georgy Filimonov. In an interview with RBC agency, Filimonov strongly condemned these products, calling them and alcohol “weapons of genocide against people,” particularly the young.

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Poland Moves to Regulate Nicotine Pouches, Ban Minor Sales

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New Law Aims to Close 5-Year Regulatory Gap for Popular Products

Poland is finally set to regulate the rapidly growing market for nicotine pouches, addressing a five-year regulatory vacuum that experts warn poses a public health risk, particularly to young people. A Sejm (parliamentary) Health Committee meeting scheduled for May 7th will discuss amendments to the Act on Health Protection against the Consequences of Using Tobacco and Tobacco Products, specifically incorporating rules for these tobacco-free oral nicotine products.

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Maldives Customs Doubts Collection of Huge Vape Fines

Officials Highlight MVR 40M+ Penalties, Suggest Fine Cap Amid Rising Smuggling

Maldives Customs officials have expressed serious doubts about the practicality of collecting multi-million Rufiyaa fines imposed on individuals caught smuggling vape products into the country. Speaking before a parliamentary committee reviewing the Tobacco Control Act, officials highlighted the issue of current penalties becoming unrealistically large.

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Jakarta Considers Banning Vape Use in Public Spaces Under New Smoke-Free Area Law

DKI DPRD Special Committee Proposes Including E-cigarettes Alongside Tobacco

The Jakarta Provincial Government and the Regional People’s Representative Council (DPRD DKI Jakarta) are planning to update the city’s regulations on Smoke-Free Areas (KTR) this year, with a key proposal to explicitly include electronic cigarettes (vapes) alongside traditional tobacco cigarettes.

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