Category: Legislation

UK Generational Smoking Ban Clears First Hurdle

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A landmark bill in the United Kingdom to ban its younger generation from smoking has cleared its first hurdle in the House of Commons.
If it becomes law, the legislation, backed by a 415 to 47 vote, would prevent anyone born after January 1, 2009, from buying tobacco.
Before then, the bill must go through further parliamentary stages, with MPs able to suggest amendments to any aspects they don’t like.
The legislation includes powers to introduce a licensing scheme for retailers to sell tobacco, vape, and nicotine products in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland.
Other proposed measures include a total ban on vaping product advertising and sponsorship, with a possible ban on the sale of sweet vape flavors, subject to consultation.
While the numbers indicate large cross-party support, there was strong criticism from Conservative, Liberal Democrat, and Reform UK MPs, who raised concerns about “civil liberties.”
The division list showed Tory leader Kemi Badenoch voted against the measure, having previously said “people born a day apart will have permanently different rights,” reports Sky News.
Former home secretary Suella Braverman, shadow immigration minister Robert Jenrick, and Sir Iain Duncan Smith were among the other high-profile Conservatives who didn’t back the bill.
While most Liberal Democrats did vote to support the bill, the party’s health spokeswoman Helen Morgan said: “The introduction of a phased smoking ban is problematic and not because Liberal Democrats want to see people smoke themselves into an early grave – far from it – but because it raises issues of practicality and raises issues of civil liberties.”
November 27, 2024
EU Resolution to Ban Vaping in Public Places

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Several MEPs are finalizing their draft joint resolution on smoke- and aerosol-free environments. The topic will be debated in plenary on Wednesday (November 27), and the text will be put to a vote in the European Parliament the following day.
According to the document, seen by Euractiv, MEPs primarily aim to urge member states to “extend public smoking bans to new and emerging products such as heated tobacco, e-cigarettes, and other aerosol-emitting products.”
The draft resolution proposes extending smoking and aerosol use bans to key outdoor areas, including outdoor restaurants and cafés, workplaces, the surroundings of healthcare facilities, educational institutions, care facilities, and public transport, including bus and tram stops, and train stations.
Railway platforms, airports, recreational areas, and other areas of high congregation would also fall under the scope of these restrictions.
Furthermore, the Commission, according to the document, should conduct studies and encourage research on the risks of secondhand exposure to heated tobacco and aerosols, including those emitted by e-cigarettes.
The document, which must still be finalised before the vote, also highlights the need to combat the sale of black-market vaping products. According to the draft resolution, “the Commission and member states should commit to taking stricter measures.”
November 26, 2024
Lawmakers Urged to Reject UK’s Generational Ban

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Campaigners are urging British lawmakers to reject plans to ban the sale of cigarettes and other tobacco products to future generations of adults.
Ahead of the second reading of the Tobacco and Vapes Bill on Nov. 26, the smokers’ rights group Forest says the proposal is “unnecessarily divisive” and is not supported by the majority of the public.
According to a recent poll commissioned by Forest and conducted by Yonder Consulting, 60 percent of respondents said that if people are allowed to drive a car, join the army, purchase alcohol, and vote at 18, they should also be allowed to buy cigarettes and other tobacco products.
Fewer than a third (31 percent) said they should not be allowed to purchase tobacco when legally an adult, while 9 percent said, “don’t know.”

MPs need to think very carefully about the unintended consequences of raising the legal age of sale of tobacco.
Simon Clark, director, Forest
“A generational ban on the sale of tobacco is unnecessarily divisive because it will create a two-tier society in which some adults have different rights to others,” said Forest Director Simon Clark.
“Eventually it will create the absurd situation whereby a 40-year-old can purchase cigarettes and other tobacco products, but someone born a few days later could be denied the same right.
“MPs need to think very carefully about the unintended consequences of raising the legal age of sale of tobacco.
“Denying future generations of adults the right to buy cigarettes and other tobacco products legally won’t stop people smoking.
“Creeping prohibition will simply drive the sale of tobacco underground and into the hands of criminal gangs and illicit traders.”

November 25, 2024
Kyrgyzstan Signs Law to Ban Vaping Products

Photo: Taco Tuinstra
Kyrgyzstan will ban vapes from mid-2025.
President Sadyr Japarov signed a law prohibiting the import, circulation and use of electronic cigarettes.
After July 1, 2025, those caught vaping will risk a fine $115 and sellers of e-cigarettes will be subject of a penalty ranging from $230 to $750.
Importing electronic cigarettes will result in correctional labor for two months to one year or a fine of up to $1,390. Meanwhile, importing electronic cigarettes in large quantities will result in a fine of up to $2,300 or imprisonment for up to two years.
The law, titled “On Amendments to Certain Legislative Acts in the Sphere of Protecting Citizens’ Health,” will come into force on July 1, 2025.
November 25, 2024
No Tourists Allowed to Bring Vapes Into Maldives

Credit: Visual Content
The Maldives is implementing new regulations on November 15, which will result in tourists having their vapes confiscated upon arrival to the country.
If a traveler arrives with a vape, they can deposit it at a designated counter at the airport for a receipt and collect it again upon departure, tourism officials in the popular Indian Ocean holiday destination told media.
Turkey, Singapore, Mexico, India, Brazil, and Thailand are among the other countries that do not allow travelers to bring vapes with them.
The Maldives import ban also applies to tobacco, smoking accessories, shishas, and flavored cigarettes, with one exception: travelers aged 18 and over with a tourist visa may import up to 200 cigarettes or 25 cigars, or 250 grams of tobacco.
People who vape are generally advised to double-check whether they are allowed to bring their device with them on holiday before getting on a flight.
In Thailand, which has some of the world’s strictest anti-vaping rules, anyone caught breaking the e-cigarette laws can be punished with a steep fine or even imprisonment for up to five years.
In Australia, there has been a ban on the import of all types of vapes since March 2024 unless a special license or permit has been obtained.
November 12, 2024
Vietnam Continues to Seek Ban on Vapes, HnB

A vape shop in Vietnam.
E-cigarettes and heated tobacco products were the focus of a question-and-answer session in the National Assembly (NA) of Vietnam on Monday, during which the health minister proposed a ban on these products. Vietnam has been seeking to ban vaping products for more than a year.
In response to a query raised by a deputy from the Central Highlands province of Lam Dong on solutions to vapes and heat-not-burn ((HnB) products, which are a danger to human health, Minister of Heath Dao Hong Lan said that the use of these products is rapidly increasing and poses potential health and safety risks, especially for young people.
She cited the results of a survey conducted in 34 provinces and cities in 2020, which showed that the rate of e-cigarette use among adults aged 15 and over increased 18 times. It went from 0.2% in 2015 to 3.6% in 2020, with the highest concentration in the age group of 15 – 24.
The minister proposed amending the Law on Prevention and Control of Tobacco Harms to address this issue. She said it should include provisions to ban vapes and HnB products, and the ministry’s stance is “to prohibit these products,” hoping the government will take stronger measures against vaping, according to media reports.
Feedback from various ministries and agencies showed that most of them highly support the proposal that the Government recommends to the NA on solutions to ban the use of novel nicotine products. The Ministry of Health has conducted impact assessments as scientific evidence and has also made public the harmful effects of heated tobacco products and e-cigarettes, she said, adding that these measures are key solutions to provide evidence and a legal basis for the Government to decide on measures to prevent the harms of these products.
Responding to an inquiry by a deputy from the northern province of Quang Ninh on solutions to manage e-cigarettes and heated tobacco products, the minister said her ministry has submitted a report to the government to propose that the NA Standing Committee release a resolution on the issue. The draft Law on Special Consumption Tax presented at the 8th session also includes content on taxes for novel nicotine products.
The official said that Vietnam has participated in the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) Framework Convention on Tobacco Control. Regarding support for smoking cessation, Lan said that by implementing the Law on Prevention and Control of Tobacco Harms, the Government established a tobacco control fund with a network to help people quit smoking.
November 12, 2024
Greece Set to Boost Penalties for Youth Vape Sales

Credit: Lornet
Greece is set to introduce a new bill in its Parliament that would impose stricter penalties for businesses supplying alcohol, electronic cigarettes, and vaping devices to minors in the government’s efforts to revamp alcohol laws in the country.
This is a joint decision made by the ministries of Citizen Protection, Justice, and Health, and it comes after repeated incidents of selling alcohol to under-aged individuals.
According to sources, violators who sell these harmful products to minors could be punished with imprisonment, financial fines, and other administrative penalties, including the immediate closure of the business involved, media reports.
Ministerial officials report that past oversights have also been identified regarding the access minors have to these harmful products. Specifically, under the previous government, the number of police officers assigned to enforce the anti-smoking law, for example, had been drastically reduced, penalties had been minimized, and there was also a decision allowing for the use of alcohol by minors at private events.
The Minister of Justice Giorgos Floridis commented on the new law, “Everything is now becoming stricter for the protection of minors, with increased enforcement.”
November 7, 2024
U-Turn in Proposed U.K. Pub Garden Vaping Ban

Credit: Travers
U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer said his government was considering a ban on outdoor smoking in a bid to bring down the 80,000 preventable deaths caused by smoking in the U.K. each year.
The ban would have covered smoking in outdoor restaurants and outside sports venues, hospitals, nightclubs, and in some small parks.
The government announced plans to make it illegal to vape outside schools and in children’s playgrounds in England.
They also want to ban vaping and smoking outside of hospitals and have said that some outdoor places could become vape-free.
But speaking to Sky News this morning, Wes Streeting, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, confirmed the U-turn and said: “We’re not going ahead or not proposing to go ahead with a [smoking] ban on outdoor hospitality.”
He said the policy idea was a “leak of government discussion” over the summer and promoted a “really good debate about whether or not it would be proportionate” when taking into account the public health benefits, but also the potential downsides.
“I think people know the UK hospitality sector has taken a battering in recent years,” he added. “And we don’t want to add to their pressure – so we’re not proposing to go ahead with an outdoor hospitality ban at this time.”
November 5, 2024
U.K. Tobacco and Vapes Bill Proposed Today

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The U.K. government will introduce its Tobacco and Vapes Bill in Parliament today. The legislation involves some of the world’s strictest anti-smoking rules, including a measure banning younger people from smoking. However, the government abandoned plans for a ban on smoking outside pubs and cafes after concerns were raised about the impact on the hospitality industry.
The proposed legislation gives the government power to ban smoking outside specific outdoor spaces such as children’s playgrounds, schools and hospitals. But the plans will be subject to consultation.
The previous government had announced similar measures to create the first smoke-free generation. However, those plans failed to become law before the general election in the summer when the party lost power.
The new legislation ensures that anyone aged 15 this year, or younger, will be banned from buying cigarettes, and aims to make vapes less appealing to children.
“This government is taking bold action to create the first smokefree generation, clamp down on kids getting hooked on nicotine through vapes, and protect children and vulnerable people from the harms of second-hand smoke,” said Health and Social Care Secretary Wes Streeting in a statement.
Britain banned smoking in almost all enclosed public spaces, including bars and workplaces, in 2007.
A budget announcement last week included extra taxes on vaping, which is subject to 20 percent on VAT, but did not attract extra levies as tobacco does. A new flat rate duty of £2.20 per 10ml of vaping liquid was announced.
With tobacco duties, the increases are usually immediate from midnight on the same day as the budget. However, the vaping duty is not due to come into force until 2026.

Creating a two-tier society in which some adults are permitted to buy tobacco and others aren’t discriminates against younger adults.
Simon Clark, director, Forest
While welcoming the decision to drop a proposed ban on smoking outside pubs and other other hospitality venues, smokers’ lobby group Forest said it was concerned by other measures in the bill.
“Banning smoking outside hospitals is heartless and cruel,” said Forest Director Simon Clark. “Smoking in the open air poses no risk to non-smokers, including children, but it can be a comfort to patients, visitors and staff who smoke and want a quiet stress-free moment.”
Meanwhile, increasing the age of sale by one year every year, as proposed on the generational tobacco ban part of the bill, would infantilize future generations of adults, according to Forest.
“If you can buy alcohol, drive a car, join the army, and vote at 18, you should also be allowed to purchase tobacco,” said Clark.
“Creating a two-tier society in which some adults are permitted to buy tobacco and others aren’t discriminates against younger adults.
“It will cause huge confusion in shops and could lead to even more retail crime.
“It will also drive younger adults to the black market and into the arms of criminal gangs.”
November 5, 2024
Health Ministry Wants to Ban New Tobacco Products

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Vietnam’s health ministry has proposed a national ban on e-cigarettes and tobacco-heating products, reports Vietnam News.
During a conference last week, Deputy Minister Tran Van Thuan stressed that all forms of tobacco, including new-generation products, pose a significant threat to public health.
Nguyen Nho Huy, deputy director of the physical education department at the Ministry of Education and Training, shared that vaping among students had risen from 2.6 percent in 2019 to 8 percent in 2023.
According to ministry of health data, nearly 1,224 people were hospitalized in 2023 due to health complications directly linked to e-cigarettes and heated tobacco.
Tran also referenced risks such as battery explosions and nicotine poisoning.
Heated tobacco, he noted, emits smoke containing toxins similar to those found in traditional cigarettes.
Participants in the event also expressed concern about the market for illicit vaping products. In the first half of 2024, authorities uncovered 35 cases of illegal trade and possession of drug-infused e-cigarettes, according to Lieutenant Colonel Nguyen Duy Trung.
November 4, 2024