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Category: Global Regulation

  • 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.

  • Tobacco Retailer Fined $13M Under Wisconsin’s New Vape Law

    Tobacco Retailer Fined $13M Under Wisconsin’s New Vape Law

    Wisconsin regulators imposed some of the largest penalties yet under the state’s new vape-sales restriction law, fining Exclusive Tobacco nearly $13 million and issuing a separate $450,000 penalty to Green Bay–based Dave’z Smoke N Vape. The Department of Revenue said Exclusive Tobacco’s Oshkosh location was found selling vape products not included on the state’s approved directory and operating with an expired municipal license. Inspectors seized 1,244 illegal vapes, and because the law carries a $1,000-per-device-per-day penalty, the fine totaled more than $12.4 million. A follow-up inspection triggered an additional $431,000 fine. Both cases are under appeal.

    The state has stepped up enforcement since the law took effect September 1, issuing 42 removal orders and conducting 27 product seizures, including actions against shops operating without valid licenses. Regulators say the directory system—allowing only 303 approved products—is intended to standardize the market and reduce youth access. Store owners counter that the rule has wiped out much of their inventory, with some retailers reporting severe losses, employee layoffs, and even store closures.

    A legal challenge is underway, with the industry group Wisconsinites for Alternatives to Smoking and Tobacco appealing a federal judge’s refusal to block the law. The Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals began hearing arguments this week, and a ruling is expected early next year. Shop owners argue the law unfairly benefits large tobacco companies, while state officials maintain it is a measured approach to regulating a rapidly expanding market.

  • Vietnam to Ban Vape, HTP Starting 2026

    Vietnam to Ban Vape, HTP Starting 2026

    Vietnam will prohibit the sale of electronic cigarettes and heated tobacco products beginning March 1, 2026, following the National Assembly’s approval of amendments to the Law on Investment, local outlet Tuoi Tre reported. The updated legislation places e-cigarettes and heated tobacco alongside other banned business sectors, including narcotics, certain hazardous chemicals and minerals, and prostitution.

    The move builds on a resolution passed last year that banned the production, trading, import, possession, transportation, and use of these products, according to Thanh Nien. Health officials say early effects are already visible. Angela Pratt, the World Health Organization’s representative in Vietnam, noted a 70% drop in e-cigarette–related emergency cases at major hospitals such as Bach Mai, along with a sharp decline in promotional activities for e-cigarettes and heated tobacco.

    Vietnam’s decision positions the country among the most restrictive markets in Asia regarding novel nicotine products, as policymakers cite rising youth use and public health concerns as key drivers of the ban.

  • Virginia Defends Flavored Vape Ban in Federal Court

    Virginia Defends Flavored Vape Ban in Federal Court

    Virginia’s Attorney General Jason S. Miyares and the state’s tax commissioner urged a federal court to reject a lawsuit challenging the state’s ban on unapproved e-cigarettes, arguing the plaintiffs lack standing because their products are illegal under federal law. In filings, Virginia contended that Novo Distro Inc. and Tobacco Hut and Vape Fairfax Inc. cannot claim injury or seek an injunction since their products are unapproved by the FDA. The state emphasized that neither the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FDCA) nor the Tobacco Control Act preempts state authority to regulate tobacco, and that the ban applies equally to all sellers, prioritizing public health.

    The plaintiffs argue that the law disadvantages small businesses in favor of large tobacco companies. Virginia maintains that the statute simply requires FDA approval for all products and is not arbitrary, reflecting a public health-driven standard rather than favoritism.

  • Wales Backs Generational Tobacco Ban

    Wales Backs Generational Tobacco Ban

    Members of the Senedd, Wales’ devolved parliament, have approved UK government plans to prohibit the sale of tobacco products to anyone born after 1 January 2009. The UK-wide Tobacco and Vapes Bill would also tighten regulations on vaping, including advertising restrictions, and a review of e-cigarette packaging.

    Health Minister Sarah Murphy described the legislation as a “unique opportunity” to tackle smoking, a leading cause of disease and premature death in Wales. The vote followed a legislative consent motion, meaning the Welsh Parliament agreed to Westminster passing a law that affects areas devolved to Wales. The motion passed 36 to 9, with two abstentions.