Macau Approves Law Against E-Cigarettes, Full Ban Possible
Credit: Jakarta Travel
The Macau parliament approved an amendment to the law on smoking prevention and control that prohibits the manufacture, distribution, import, export and transport of vaping products in and out of the region.
The law provides for penalties of MOP4,000 ($500) for individuals, with a fine of between MOP20,000 and MOP200,000 for companies.
Although the proposal was unanimously approved, during the debate in the Legislative Assembly, several members said that the government should go further, and impose a total ban on e-cigarettes, reports Macau Business.
Leong Sun Lok expressed concern that the new legislation might increase the smuggling or sale of e-cigarettes through the Internet or lead to an increase in the number of conventional cigarette users.
The Macau Special Administrative Region of the People’s Republic of China’s secretary for social affairs and culture confirmed that they are considering a later ban on e-cigarettes after giving “some time” to smokers who may “still have some in stock.”
Elsie Ao Ieong U also promised to review, within three years, the tax on all tobacco products, which in Macau is around 60 percent of the final price.
Ron Lam U Tou advocated increasing the tax, noting that the World Health Organisation (WHO) recommends a value of 75 percent.
The only Portuguese member in the parliament, José Pereira Coutinho, warned that the legislative revision could harm tourists who are only “passing through,” namely to mainland China, where e-cigarettes are allowed.
The legislative amendment will come into force three months after it is published in the Official Bulletin of the Chinese special administrative region.
The sale, advertising and promotion of e-cigarettes have been prohibited in Macau since 2018.
The government justified the changes to the law with “the strong evidence that this type of tobacco product is harmful to health, and can endanger the safety of people,” recalling that the consumption of e-cigarettes has increased, especially among young people.
The government stressed that e-cigarettes are banned in the neighboring region of Hong Kong and Singapore, and the Taiwanese parliament is also discussing a proposed ban.
