Tag Archive for: Tobacco Regulation

Indonesia Urged to Refine Tax & Regulation for Nicotine Products

Experts at ISSA 2025 call for Indonesia to differentiate tax & regulation for vapes/nicotine pouches from traditional cigarettes.

International experts are urging the Indonesian government to refine its regulatory and tax policies for alternative nicotine products like vapes and nicotine pouches, advocating for a risk-proportionate approach that differentiates them from more harmful conventional cigarettes. While praising Indonesia for allowing these products, unlike some neighboring countries, concerns were raised about current tax equivalency with traditional tobacco.

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Iraqi Parliament to Vote on Stricter Anti-Smoking Law Next Week

Bill Includes Higher Taxes, Public Bans, Youth Protections, and Vape Ad Ban

The Iraqi parliament is scheduled to vote on May 6 on a comprehensive anti-smoking bill designed to significantly curb tobacco use through increased taxes, expanded bans, stricter penalties, and incentives for industry transition. The legislation, having passed its first two readings, places a strong emphasis on protecting minors from tobacco products and secondhand smoke.

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Spain’s Proposed Vape & Nicotine Pouch Rules Face Strong EU Opposition

Six Nations Issue Formal Objections, Forcing Review Over Internal Market Concerns

Spain’s plan to tighten regulations on alternative tobacco products, including e-cigarettes and nicotine pouches, has encountered significant opposition within the European Union. Six member states – Italy, Sweden, Greece, the Czech Republic, Hungary, and Romania – have issued formal “reasoned opinions” against the proposed Spanish Royal Decree, citing concerns about its potential impact on the EU’s internal market.

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Russia Platform Law Excludes Alcohol/Tobacco Sales

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New Bill Aims to Regulate E-commerce, Equalize Rules with Traditional Trade

Russia is developing comprehensive legislation to regulate its rapidly growing “platform economy,” including online marketplaces, with plans for adoption by the end of 2025. According to Maxim Topilin, Chairman of the State Duma Committee on Economic Policy, the bill aims to establish clear rules for digital platforms and level the playing field between electronic and traditional commerce.

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Iraqi Parliament to Vote on Comprehensive Anti-Tobacco Law

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The Iraqi parliament is set to vote on a comprehensive draft law aimed at combating smoking and imposing additional taxes on tobacco products next week. Majid Shingali, head of the legislature’s health and environment committee, told Rudaw on Wednesday that the final drafting stage of the law is underway, with plans to share the final draft with experts for legal and linguistic review before presenting it for discussion in next week’s session.

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Belgium Enforces New Tobacco Sale Regulations from 1 April 2025

As of 1 April 2025, all tobacco products, including cigarettes, cigars, and e-cigarettes, can no longer be displayed in Belgian stores. This change is part of Belgium’s tobacco plan, a series of measures launched in 2022 that aims to create a smoke-free generation by 2040.

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Spain’s Proposed Vaping Regulations: A Regressive Approach to Tobacco Harm Reduction

Spain is currently facing a significant public health challenge with a smoking prevalence of 24%, one of the highest rates in Western Europe. In an effort to address this issue, the Spanish Ministry of Health has recently proposed a draft decree that includes strict regulations on vaping products and nicotine pouches. However, many experts argue that this approach is misguided and may ultimately undermine public health objectives while protecting the cigarette market.

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Brussels to Decide on Spain’s Proposed Tobacco Regulations on April 28

The European Commission is set to rule on the draft Royal Decree regulating certain aspects of tobacco products and their derivatives in Spain on April 28, 2025. The proposed legislation, spearheaded by the Spanish Ministry of Health, seeks to restrict the presence of flavors in electronic cigarettes and limit the nicotine concentration in nicotine pouches to 0.99 milligrams.

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Kentucky Proposes Stricter Regulations on Tobacco and Vape Sales

Kentucky is on the verge of introducing new regulations for businesses selling tobacco, nicotine, and vape products, as Senate Bill 100 is expected to emerge from the House Committee this week. The proposed legislation aims to implement a licensing requirement for retailers and enforce harsher penalties for those caught selling these products to individuals under the age of 21.

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Chile to Increase Tobacco Law Inspections by 10% in 2025

In January 2024, Chile implemented Law 21.642, which introduced stricter regulations on the sale and use of tobacco products, including a ban on selling e-cigarettes to minors. The Ministry of Health has been conducting inspections throughout the country to enforce these new rules.

According to the Ministry of Health, the Biobío region saw a total of 213 inspections related to the Tobacco Law in 2024. Of these, 106 took place in the province of Concepción, 62 in Biobío, and 45 in Arauco, resulting in three health summaries.

In the Biobío Province, only one out of the 62 inspections led to a summary, while in Arauco Province, just one summary was issued following 45 inspections.

Javiera Ceballos, the acting regional ministerial secretary of health for Biobío, stated, “For this year, we have set ourselves the challenge of increasing inspections in this area by 10% to continue protecting the health of the population.”

The new regulations prohibit smoking in enclosed spaces, including areas covered by a roof attached to one or more walls, terraces that are not open-air or have a roof attached to a wall, as well as in sports venues, stadiums, and gyms.