Category: Legislation

Poland Mulls Minimum Sales Age for Vape Products

Credit: Velishchuk
Polish Health Minister Izabela Leszczyna wants to ban e-cigarette sales to minors starting Jan. 1, 2025, reports Polskie Radio.
The government is currently soliciting public input on a draft amendment to the Act on Protection of Health Against the Consequences of Tobacco and Tobacco Products, which would prohibit e-cigarette sales to people under 18, irrespective of nicotine content.
The authors of the draft stress that this measure is essential to curb e-cigarette use among young people. They also note that nicotine-free e-liquids are not without risk as they may contain substances like formaldehyde and acetaldehyde.
Proponents of the legislation also worry that flavored e-cigarettes may entice youths who might otherwise avoid tobacco products.
July 29, 2024
Philippines Ends Online Sales of Vape Products

Photo: Ranta Images
The Philippine government has halted the sale, advertising and distribution of vape products online, reports the Inquirer.
“This is a temporary suspension until the e-marketplaces are able to convince us of their compliance with their obligations under Republic Act No. 11900, or the vape law, and other laws and related issuances,” said Trade Secretary Alfredo Pascual on July 19.
According to Pascual, the order was prompted primarily by the need to prevent the sale of vape products to minors and ensure that those being sold online meet the safety standards set by law.
Vape companies and online sales platforms must submit a sworn certification of their compliance with the law to be allowed to resume sales.
A recent investigation by the Department of Trade (DTI) and Industry of 90,000 companies engaged in the vape business revealed that 284 had violated for various laws, by selling vapes within 100 meters of a school or using flavors designed to appeal to minors, for example.
The DTI has confiscated at least PHP32.76 million ($561,454.25 ) worth of vape products so far this year, mostly for being offered for sale without proper certifications, like the Philippine Standard mark and the Import Commodity Clearance sticker.
In June, the department ordered the mandatory certification of vape products in compliance with the Vape Act, which lapsed into law in July 2022.
July 21, 2024
Cooks Islands Officially Bans Vaping Sales

Photo: Stella Kou
The Cooks Islands have banned the manufacture, importation, sale, distribution and advertising of cigarette alternatives such as e-cigarettes, reports Cook Island News.
The new Tobacco Products Control Amendment Act 2024 also raises the legal age of sale for tobacco products from 18 to 21 years, and prohibits smoking in nearly all public places.
The Act requires those who want to sell and import tobacco to apply for permits. To date, the ministry of health has approved 37 of 43 applications. The authorized retailers can start selling tobacco from Aug. 1, 2024, under The remaining applications are pending approval for further information, according to Secretary for Health Bob Williams.
The new rules also prohibit internet sales of tobacco products except when used by importers and distributors for business to business transactions. Violators risk fines of up to $10,000 or prison terms of up to three months.
Tobacco product displays are banned, as well.
July 20, 2024
North Carolina Governor Signs Vape Registry Bill

Credit: Katherine Welles
Under a bipartisan bill Gov. Roy Cooper signed into law this week, North Carolina will have a new registry that could lead to the removal of many vaping products from store shelves.
The law would allow only the sale of products authorized by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. The directory of products would be under the North Carolina Dept. of Revenue.
Stores will have a 60-day grace period after the directory is available to come into compliance. After that, repeat violators could face fines and have their licenses suspended or revoked.
“The vaping epidemic is quite the Wild West, particularly in high school,” said state Rep. Erin Pare (R-Wake). “That’s why this bill passed with broad bipartisan support. It brings order, enforcement, accountability, and transparency to a growing problem.”
The bill faced opposition from some operators of convenience stores, who worry it will have a negative impact on their revenue. Ches McDowell, who represents a group of Asian-American convenience store owners, warned it could also lead to lost jobs.
The Vapor Technology Association also urged Cooper to veto the bill, calling the FDA’s process illegal and saying the measure is “propping up cigarettes and hurting public health.”
Representatives of the tobacco industry advocated for the bill as it moved through committees in the state legislature, including Susan Vick, who lobbies for Reynolds American. She told lawmakers about visiting a store in Raleigh and finding many products from China, according to media reports.
Pare said the new law will help remove unregulated products from overseas and reduce the prevalence of products that appear to be marketed to young people.
“We don’t really know what’s in them,” she said.
The law takes effect on Dec. 1. The directory is expected to be available in early 2025.
July 8, 2024
North Carolina Lawmakers Pass Vape Registry Bill
North Carolina Capitol Building in Raleigh (Credit: PaBrady 63)
The North Carolina General Assembly has passed legislation to create a registry for vaping products, allowing for the sale of only a limited number of products.
The Senate Judiciary Committee approved the proposal last week, and it advanced through its final committee stop Thursday, setting it up for a vote on the Senate floor. The proposal was added to HB 900, which deals with Wake County leadership academies.
The new rules go into effect Dec. 1. Critics—including owners of vape stores and convenience stores that sell vaping products—say they could harm their bottom lines and potentially put them out of business.
State lawmakers who support the bill cite health concerns and fears that vaping products are being marketed toward children using bright colors and sweet, candy-like flavors.
June 27, 2024
Provinces in Canada Seek Generational Ban Comments
Newfoundland and Labrador flag against the sunset sky. (Credit: Ecrow)
Newfoundland and Labrador is considering following along with recent announcements in the U.K.
The provincial government in Canda will ask residents this month for public feedback on a number of increased nicotine regulations, including the possibility of a total ban on the sale of cigarettes and other tobacco products to people born after a specific date, according to media reports.
The legislation would eventually phase out the sale of cigarettes permanently in Newfoundland and Labrador. It follows a similar move in Prince Edward Island (PEI), where a “Tobacco-Free Generation” proposal was suggested in a consultation paper earlier this year.
A similar concept was tried – and swiftly repealed – in New Zealand, and the issue is expected to return to the United Kingdom’s House of Commons after the country’s July election.
June 5, 2024
U.K. Pauses Tobacco Ban Talks Until After Election

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Britain’s proposed generational tobacco ban will not become law before the July 4 election announced by Prime Minister Rishi Sunak this week, reports Reuters.
The U.K. Tobacco and Vapes Bill aims to phase out the sale of cigarettes. It would make it illegal to sell tobacco products to anyone born on or after Jan. 1, 2009, after they turn 18. It would also provide powers to address vaping among young people.
The bill had passed its first parliamentary hurdle in April despite dozens of lawmakers in Sunak’s Conservative party voting against it.
However, the government failed to put forward the tobacco and vapes bill as part of the legislation to be passed in the “wash-up” period before parliament dissolves.
Unless ministers resuscitate the bill at the last minute with an emergency statement today, it will be up to the next government to re-introduce the smoking ban in a fresh bill. The Labour party is committed to the policy and could include it in its manifesto. “Our position hasn’t changed so if it doesn’t come through, then we will look at putting it in the manifesto and introducing a bill,” a Labour representative told The Guardian.
The U.K. Vaping Industry Association (UKVIA) welcomed the news that the bill would not be rushed through the legislative process. Earlier, the group had complained that the Department of Health and Social Care had failed to carry out any risk assessments into the health impacts of fewer people using vapes to quit smoking as a result of potential changes to flavor offerings, point of sale displays or packaging and product presentation.
“It is wrong to rush any legislation through parliament without proper scrutiny but with a bill like this, where lives are quite literally at stake, it is even more important that the correct checks and balances are in place when considering what new powers to introduce,” said UKVIA Director General John Dunne in a statement.
“We believe that properly drafted new measures to ban child-friendly designs and flavor names and ensure that products, backed up by a powerful and effective enforcement regime will continue to see smoking rates fall while ensuring that youth uptake rapidly comes down.”
Anti-smoking activists took the news in stride. “While the tobacco and vapes bill appears to be a victim of a snap election, all is not lost,” said Deborah Arnott, chief executive of Action on Smoking and Health. “This bill has the strong support of the chief medical officers of all four nations in the U.K. as well as the overwhelming majority of the public.”
May 24, 2024
Uzbekistan Plans to Ban Heated Tobacco, Vapes
Tashkent TV Tower Aerial Shot During Sunset in Uzbekistan (Credit: Lukas)
The Ministry of Health in Uzbekistan has proposed a ban on the circulation of electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS) products, e-liquids and heated tobacco products, Trend reports.
This is shown in the draft law published on Uzbekistan’s portal to discuss draft normative legal acts.
According to the law, the circulation of ENDS products on the “territory of the country is prohibited.”
The Ministry of Health also proposes to introduce administrative and criminal liability for violation of this ban—a fine in the amount of $1,000 to five years of imprisonment.
According to data from Uzbekistan’s Statistics Agency, the production volume of tobacco products in the country reached 2.1 billion pieces from January through February 2024.
From January through February 2024, the country’s exports of tobacco products reached $7.8 million, while imports amounted to $10.5 million during the same period.
April 14, 2024
Alabama Senate Pass Public Buildings Vaping Ban
Credit: Allard1
The Alabama Senate voted to pass legislation that would ban vaping inside public buildings.
The Alabama Clean Indoor Air Act already bans the smoking of cigarettes, pipes, and other methods of smoking tobacco from public buildings including schools, police stations, city halls, and courthouses, according to media reports. This legislation would expand that prohibition to include vapes and other electronic tobacco delivery systems.
“Under the existing law, the Alabama Clean Indoor Air Act prohibits the smoking of tobacco products in most public places and in public meetings,” said Sen. Gerald Allen. “This piece of legislation would prohibit the smoking of electronic nicotine delivery systems in the same manner as the smoking of tobacco products is prohibited.”
SB37 now goes to the Alabama House of Representatives for their consideration.
April 11, 2024
Illinois Senate Passes 2 Vape Laws, Moves to House
Credit: High Light Vape
The Illinois state Senate passed two bills on Tuesday aimed at curbing teen vaping.
The first bill bans companies from selling vaping devices that resemble everyday household items. The second bill prohibits people from shipping vaping products in Illinois, except to licensed retailers and distributors. Illinois state senators Julie Morrison and Meg Loughran Cappel sponsored the bills.
It’s already illegal to sell e-cigarettes to people under 21 in Illinois. Teens can get around the ban, however, by having them shipped to their home, according to media reports.
Morrison said her bill comes as school officials report kids using vaping devices that look like schools supplies such as highlighters.
“Teachers, they’ve complained that they have found these kind of products in their schools, their students have them. They’re designed to look like a school supply. And I think it’s not even limited to school supplies, stuffed animals, SpongeBob,” Morrison said.
Both bills now head to the state House of Representatives.
April 11, 2024