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Category: Global Regulation

  • Azerbaijan Sets New Vape Laws

    Azerbaijan Sets New Vape Laws

    Azerbaijan plans to set fines and enforcement mechanisms for the use of electronic cigarettes through secondary legal acts following the adoption of a new law, MP Soltan Mammadov, a member of parliament’s Health Committee, said. Mammadov said the bill seeks to clearly classify traditional tobacco, heated tobacco products, and electronic cigarettes, and is informed by international regulatory practices. He cited World Health Organization data indicating that e-cigarette use is significantly higher among minors than adults.

    The proposed legislation “aims to restrict tobacco and e-cigarette products containing harmful or carcinogenic substances and address the rising use of e-cigarettes among schoolchildren.” Details on penalties and enforcement measures will be defined after the law is enacted.

  • Two More Arrested in Hong Kong, Smuggling 60K Vapes

    Two More Arrested in Hong Kong, Smuggling 60K Vapes

    Hong Kong authorities sentenced two men to six months in prison after 60,000 alternative smoking products were found in their luggage upon arrival from Japan, the Department of Health (DH) said. The Tobacco and Alcohol Control Office (TACO) made the arrest after it was notified by Hong Kong Customs on December 15.

    Since amended tobacco control legislation took effect on September 19, granting arrest powers to TACO inspectors, 14 importation cases involving alternative smoking products have been prosecuted. Sixteen people have been convicted, receiving prison sentences of two to six months.

    Under Hong Kong law, importing alternative smoking products—including e-cigarettes, heated tobacco products, and herbal cigarettes—can result in fines of up to HK$2 million ($260,000) and imprisonment of up to seven years.

  • South Korea to Define All Nicotine Products as ‘Cigarettes’

    South Korea to Define All Nicotine Products as ‘Cigarettes’

    South Korea’s Cabinet moved to close regulatory and taxation gaps surrounding liquid e-cigarettes, including those using synthetic or nicotine-substitute substances, amid what is says are growing safety concerns. At a Cabinet meeting today (December 16) chaired by President Lee Jae-myung, the government approved the promulgation of amendments to the Tobacco Business Act that legally classify liquid e-cigarettes as tobacco products. The revised law expands the definition of cigarettes from products made from tobacco leaves to all products containing tobacco or nicotine, bringing synthetic-nicotine liquid e-cigarettes under formal regulation.

    President Lee highlighted concerns that nicotine substitutes have been distributed without adequate safety verification and called for stronger institutional oversight. Reports of suspected lung damage linked to liquid e-cigarettes were also raised during the meeting.

    Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Koo Yoon-cheol said products released four months after the law takes effect will be regulated and taxed as cigarettes. However, he noted regulatory limits regarding so-called “nicotine-free” products manufactured before the law’s implementation, stressing the need for separate management and hazard assessments.

    The revision aims to eliminate regulatory and taxation blind spots while gradually strengthening safety management for nicotine substitutes.

  • Malaysia Banning Vapes in 2026

    Malaysia Banning Vapes in 2026

    Malaysia is moving toward a nationwide ban on vaping, with the Health Ministry aiming to finalize and implement the policy by the end of 2026, Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr. Dzulkefly Ahmad said. He said the Cabinet has already agreed in principle to ban vape products, stressing that the issue is no longer whether vaping will be banned, but when. The ministry is expected to bring the matter back to the Cabinet early next year to complete regulatory and legislative processes.

    Dzulkefly cited growing public health concerns, particularly cases of drug-induced psychosis linked to adulterated vape liquids and synthetic substances. He said such cases are being monitored by a special Health Ministry task group in collaboration with medical experts.

  • Bangladesh Labels Cig Filters as Single-Use Plastic

    Bangladesh Labels Cig Filters as Single-Use Plastic

    Bangladesh has become the first country in Asia to classify cigarette filters as single-use plastic (SUP), aligning the move with Article 18 of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC), which focuses on environmental protection in tobacco production. The announcement was highlighted at a webinar yesterday (December 14), organized by PROGGA and the Anti-Tobacco Media Alliance (ATMA).

    The development follows Bangladesh’s participation at COP-11 in Geneva, where the government presented its tobacco control achievements and reaffirmed its commitment to amend national tobacco laws and strengthen anti-tobacco measures.

  • Nepal Says Failed Enforcement Leading to Rising ‘Tobacco Toll’

    Nepal Says Failed Enforcement Leading to Rising ‘Tobacco Toll’

    Nepal says it is facing a worsening public health crisis as tobacco-related deaths have nearly doubled in five years, despite strong laws, which it says are poorly enforced. Experts speaking at an Action Nepal event in Kathmandu said rising consumption reflects deep policy failures and strong tobacco industry influence within state institutions.

    Official data show deaths linked to tobacco rose from 24,800 in 2019 to 39,200 in 2023, costing Nepal Rs 12.2 billion ($84.2 million) annually in healthcare and draining around 1.2% of GDP through medical and productivity losses. Health experts claim that firm enforcement could save over 1.1 million lives in the next 15 years.

    Activists accused industry-linked actors of weakening regulation and raised conflict-of-interest concerns involving Industry Minister Anil Kumar Sinha over legal ties to tobacco companies. Speakers said stalled reforms, weak warning labels, and poor compliance with bans highlight urgent need for accountability and stronger action.

  • Tajikistan Moving Toward Vape Ban

    Tajikistan Moving Toward Vape Ban

    Tajikistan is preparing legislation to fully ban the use, production, and distribution of electronic cigarettes, following a directive issued today (December 15) by Majlisi Milli Speaker Rustam Emomali. The move is aimed at “protecting public health, particularly young people,” amid concerns over respiratory, cardiovascular and cancer risks linked to vape use.

    The proposed ban would align Tajikistan with neighboring Central Asian countries, where vapes are already prohibited. Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan have all introduced full bans in recent years, backed by fines and, in some cases, criminal penalties.

  • Macau to Test No-Smoking Zones

    Macau to Test No-Smoking Zones

    Two pavements (sidewalks) in Macau will become trial no-smoking zones next year, officials said, noting no penalties will apply during the test. The measure aims to assess public response as the government considers wider outdoor smoking restrictions. The Health Bureau said Macau’s narrow streets limit options for smoking booths, so authorities are planning designated outdoor smoking areas with clear markings and signage. The trial follows successful smoke-free zones recently set up near several schools.

    Smoking rates in Macau have dropped 31.4% since 2012, and the government has already banned the import, export, and sale of e-cigarettes. Officials now plan to make e-cigarette possession illegal as part of tightening tobacco-control measures.

  • Truth Initiative to Target Tobacco Use at Celebration Bowl

    Truth Initiative to Target Tobacco Use at Celebration Bowl

    Truth Initiative announced it will use its presence at this year’s Celebration Bowl in Atlanta to highlight tobacco-related health disparities in Black communities and promote its EX digital cessation program. The organization, long critical of historic tobacco marketing practices directed at Black Americans, cited smoking-related death rates and high menthol use as key public-health concerns.

    Throughout the event, Truth Initiative will run in-stadium messaging, digital advertising, and culturally focused outreach intended to engage HBCU students, alumni, and fans. Its programming, developed with Mayo Clinic, offers personalized quit plans and online community support.

  • SA Considering Tobacco Bans in Private Spaces

    SA Considering Tobacco Bans in Private Spaces

    South Africa’s proposed Control of Tobacco Products and Electronic Delivery Systems Bill, 2018, includes “radical changes,” according to Caxton Network News, that would overhaul the country’s tobacco laws by introducing 100% smoke-free indoor public spaces, banning point-of-sale displays and vending machines, and bringing e-cigarettes under strict regulation. One of the most contentious provisions, according to the report, appears to extend restrictions to private spaces, including homes and vehicles, through a clause linked to the Sectional Titles Act. Despite enforcement concerns raised by the South African Police Service and National Prosecuting Authority, the clause was retained on the grounds of protecting workers’ constitutional rights.

    The bill would also mandate plain packaging for all tobacco products, while e-cigarettes and vapes would face rules identical to those for combustible cigarettes. Requests from industry to exempt vaping products from display bans, plain packaging, and smoke-free rules were rejected.

    Additional measures in the bill include bans on single-stick sales, vending-machine sales, and the public display of all tobacco and vaping products. After extensive public hearings earlier this year, the Department of Health was expected to present responses to submissions in November, but the parliamentary committee rejected its document and delayed the meeting to early next year. The bill remains under consideration in the Portfolio Committee on Health.