South Korea witnessed a dramatic rise in e-liquid imports last year, reaching $85.64 million – a 39.5% increase from 2023, according to customs data. This upward trend continues, with first-quarter 2025 imports already up 8.5% year-over-year. Critics argue this surge highlights a significant “regulatory blind spot” concerning synthetic nicotine.
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The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has given the green light to the sale of synthetic nicotine pouches, subject to sellers adhering to government-set safety standards. The decision was made with the hope that introducing smoke-free nicotine alternatives to the market would help individuals quit smoking. Smoking rates in the UAE and the Middle East remain relatively high, at 12% and 20%, respectively.
Read moreSouth Korea is on the cusp of passing legislation that will classify synthetic nicotine, the key ingredient in e-liquid vaping products, as “tobacco,” subject to stricter regulations. The National Assembly’s ruling and opposition parties have reached an agreement on the framework, which includes a partial grace period for existing e-liquid businesses regarding school proximity restrictions and taxation.
Read moreIn a significant development for tobacco control policy, the state of California and the city and county of Denver have recently implemented what appear to be the nation’s first bans on flavored tobacco products that specifically include nicotinic alkaloids and nicotine analogs. These novel restrictions come as regulators grapple with the increasing popularity of products that use compounds chemically similar to nicotine but fall outside the scope of existing tobacco laws.
Read moreA bill seeking to regulate synthetic nicotine products, which make up a significant portion of the e-liquid vaping market, failed to pass the subcommittee stage of the South Korean National Assembly’s Planning and Finance Committee. The proposed amendment to the Tobacco Business Act aimed to expand the definition of tobacco products to include synthetic nicotine.
Read moreThe National Assembly Research Service has released a report advocating for the taxation of synthetic nicotine e-cigarettes, citing concerns over tax equity and public health. The report, titled “Issues and Improvement Measures Related to E-cigarette Regulation,” calls for amending the legal definition of tobacco to include raw materials such as nicotine, regardless of the manufacturing method, and implementing an integrated taxation system.
Read moreAs the year 2024 draws to a close, South Korea finds itself at a crossroads in the battle against the unregulated sale and distribution of synthetic nicotine cigarettes. On December 27, a public hearing on the proposed amendments to the Tobacco Business Act was held at the National Assembly, highlighting the growing concerns over the “regulatory blind spot” that has led to massive tax deficits and an alarming increase in youth smoking.
Read moreSouth Korea’s efforts to regulate synthetic nicotine cigarettes are encountering significant legislative obstacles, with potential implementation now likely pushed to 2025. The proposed amendments to the Tobacco Business Act have stalled in the National Assembly, highlighting complex political and regulatory challenges.
Read moreBusan City Councilor Kim Hyo-jung has called for urgent measures to protect minors from synthetic nicotine e-liquid vaping devices. During a recent city council meeting, Kim highlighted the regulatory gap that allows these products to evade taxation and oversight typically applied to conventional tobacco products.
Read moreSouth Korea is accelerating its efforts to implement legislation regulating synthetic nicotine, a move that has the e-cigarette industry on edge. The primary concern for the industry is how tax rates will be set, as this could have a significant impact on the entire sector if the regulations are put into place.
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