South Korea is expanding its Tobacco Business Act to officially classify synthetic nicotine as tobacco. Starting this week, authorities will completely ban the online sale of synthetic nicotine e-liquids and subject them to the same strict regulations and taxes as conventional cigarettes.
Read moreTag Archive for: synthetic nicotine
Starting April 24, South Korea will officially regulate synthetic nicotine e-cigarettes under its conventional tobacco laws. This sweeping revision bans online sales, outlaws flavor descriptors, and mandates strict packaging warnings to combat rising youth vaping rates.
Read moreSouth Korea has amended its Tobacco Business Act to legally classify synthetic nicotine as tobacco, effective April 24, 2025. This closes a long-standing regulatory loophole, subjecting these products to the same taxes, sales restrictions, and advertising bans as traditional cigarettes, significantly impacting their price and availability.
Key Takeaways:
- Legal Definition:Â Synthetic nicotine is now legally “tobacco.”
- Tax Impact:Â A 30ml bottle of e-liquid will face approx. 54,000 won ($39) in taxes.
- Sales Restrictions:Â Online sales are banned; retail distance rules apply.
- Youth Protection:Â Measures aim to curb youth access and unmanned shop proliferation.
South Korea’s National Assembly has taken a major step towards regulating synthetic nicotine by advancing a bill to classify it as “tobacco” under the Tobacco Business Act. The amendment, approved by the subcommittee on economic and fiscal policy, seeks to broaden the legal definition of tobacco from just “tobacco leaf” to “tobacco or nicotine.” This change would subject liquid e-cigarettes containing synthetic nicotine to the same taxes and regulations as traditional tobacco products for the first time in 37 years.
Read moreSouth Korea is moving to close a new loophole in its tobacco laws as the industry reportedly shifts to “pseudo-nicotine” to evade an impending crackdown on synthetic nicotine. An amendment to the Tobacco Business Act, which redefines “tobacco” to include products made from synthetic nicotine (such as e-cigarette liquids), has recently passed the parliamentary Strategy and Finance Committee. This change is expected to generate an additional 930 billion won in tax revenue.
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 moreSouth 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.
Read moreThe 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 moreAbout Ecigator
About Us
Business
- Authentication Check
- Press Release
- Store Location
- Stag Bar Vape