A diverse coalition of German organizations, including the BDE, the German Environmental Aid (DUH), the German Medical Association, and other social organizations, has come together to urge Federal Environment Minister Steffi Lemke to swiftly implement a nationwide ban on disposable vapes. In an open letter, the groups highlight the significant health hazards, environmental damage, and fire risks associated with these products.
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On April 1, Germany made history by becoming the largest European Union nation to legalize the recreational use of cannabis, despite strong opposition from politicians and medical associations. The new law positions Germany among the countries with the most liberal cannabis policies in Europe, alongside Malta and Luxembourg, which legalized recreational use in 2021 and 2023, respectively.
Read moreGermany’s Health Ministry is proposing a ban on smoking in vehicles carrying children and pregnant women, including the use of e-cigarettes, heated tobacco products, and cannabis. Health Minister Karl Lauterbach is leading the charge for this ban to protect minors and pregnant women from secondhand smoke exposure. The draft proposal, which will undergo coordination with other ministries before being presented to the Cabinet, is an expansion of the existing Non-Smokers Protection Act. In this article, we will explore the details of the proposed ban and its potential impact.
Read moreThe German Customs has notified the local electronic cigarette association and economic operators that tobacco alternatives products, also known as e-cigarettes, which have been listed before July 1, 2022, should be re-taxed, and that all e-cigarettes held within the taxation area with invalid tax numbers, will be taxed according to the e-cigarette additional tax rate from February 13, 2023 onwards. Product owners must act quickly to comply, return used goods to a tax warehouse, have tax stamps affixed (by manufacturers, importers, or purchasers for commercial purposes), and fulfill retrospective taxation obligations. E-cigarette traders are advised to improve their retail packaging and use approved tax stamps for subsequent taxation while the tax warehouse owners must already have tax numbers to undertake all tax after-tax obligations.
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