Violations of trade and smoking in public places can result in fines of up to 50,000 UAH.
In just a few days, starting from July 11, new restrictions on the sale of tobacco products and the prohibition of smoking electronic cigarettes in public places will come into effect in Ukraine. This is in accordance with the law on measures to prevent and reduce tobacco consumption, as reported by the State Consumer Service.
Read moreS.B. 920 Aims to Prohibit Sales of Products with Distinguishable Non-Tobacco Tastes or Aromas
Senator Carol Alvarado (D-Houston) has introduced a new bill in the Texas Senate that would ban the sale of all flavored tobacco and vaping products in the state. Senate Bill 920 (S.B. 920) defines a flavored product as one that has a “distinguishable taste or aroma other than the taste or aroma of tobacco.”
The bill includes a unique “rebuttable presumption” clause, which states that if a company publicly claims that a product “imparts a taste or smell other than the taste or smell of tobacco,” including through text or images on the product labels, the product would be considered flavored and its sale would be prohibited.
Unlike some other states’ flavored tobacco bans, S.B. 920 does not include any exemptions. The bill would not penalize consumers for purchasing, possessing, or consuming these products. However, it would make it illegal to share or give these products to another person.
Currently, only California and Massachusetts have statewide bans on the sale of flavored tobacco products, both of which include limited exemptions for certain flavored cigar sales. Massachusetts allows specialty cigar lounges to continue selling flavored cigars, while California permits the sale of flavored cigars with a wholesale price of $12 or more.
In early 2023, the head of the FDA’s Center for Tobacco Products announced that the agency aims to introduce a nationwide ban on flavored cigars and menthol cigarettes by the fall of 2023. The proposed Texas bill aligns with this anticipated federal action, signaling a growing trend toward more stringent regulation of flavored tobacco and vaping products.
As the bill progresses through the Texas legislature, stakeholders on all sides of the issue will undoubtedly be watching closely and weighing in on the potential impacts of such a ban on public health, individual freedoms, and the tobacco and vaping industries.
New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy signed legislation that prohibits the sale of flavored vaping products in the state. The ban, which will take effect in April, comes amid growing concerns over the increasing number of young people using these products and a nationwide outbreak of mysterious illnesses linked to vaping.
Read moreThe U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has announced a ban on most flavors of cartridge-based e-cigarettes, including fruit and mint varieties, that have not received FDA authorization through the premarket tobacco application (PMTA) process. The ban, which was announced on January 2, 2020, requires companies to cease the manufacture, distribution, and sale of these unauthorized flavored products within 30 days or risk enforcement actions from the agency.
Read moreThe Massachusetts Senate has passed a bill that would ban the sale of all flavored tobacco products, including menthol cigarettes, and impose a 75% excise tax on e-cigarettes. The legislation, which was approved by the state House earlier this month, is designed to combat the growing problem of underage vaping in the state.
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