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Category: Global Regulation

  • Tennessee Amends Penalties for Underage Tobacco Use

    Tennessee Amends Penalties for Underage Tobacco Use

    Tennessee enacted new penalties for minors purchasing or possessing tobacco products under legislation signed by Governor Bill Lee on April 27 and approved as a Public Chapter yesterday (May 4). The law allows courts to impose a range of measures, including up to 50 hours of community service, completion of a court-approved education program, and/or civil fines between $10 and $50. Fines for minors younger than 18 may be levied on a parent or guardian.

    The legislation also introduces escalating consequences for repeat violations, including a 90-day informal adjustment period for first offenses and up to six months of probation for subsequent violations, alongside mandatory community service and participation in programs focused on the risks of tobacco and vapor products. The law will take effect July 1.

  • Dutch Flavor Ban Backfires: Report  

    Dutch Flavor Ban Backfires: Report  

    A report by advocacy group Prohibition Does Not Work (PDNW) claims the Netherlands’ 2024 ban on flavored vaping “backfired,” with over half of consumers reportedly shifting to illicit or cross-border sources. The report states that youth vaping rates increased from 3.7% in 2023 to 7.6% in 2024, while adult vaping declined from 3.86% to 2.3% by 2026. It also cites data indicating that 27% of users purchased products abroad, 31% used illicit online sellers, and 33% continued to access products through local retail channels despite the ban.

    According to the report, cigarette consumption rose by approximately 1% in 2024, equivalent to around 60 million additional cigarettes, while 27% of former vapers reported increased smoking or initiation after the policy change. The findings also note that 42% of inspected retailers were non-compliant and that most consumers reported ease of access to flavored products. PDNW said the data reflects a shift toward unregulated channels following the restriction, with implications for enforcement and market oversight.

  • Survey Says Pakistan’s Tobacco Control Not Working

    Survey Says Pakistan’s Tobacco Control Not Working

    A nationwide survey in Pakistan found widespread non-compliance in the cigarette market nearly four years after the introduction of the Track and Trace System. Conducted across 1,520 retail outlets in 19 districts, the study found that only 22 of the 477 identified brands in circulation were consistently compliant, with 455 failing to meet at least one regulatory requirement, including missing tax stamps, health warnings, or printed retail prices.

    The survey also found that 392 brands were being sold below the government’s minimum price of PKR 162.25 ($0.58) per pack, with some as low as PKR 50 ($0.18), indicating a significant presence of untaxed and non-compliant products. Both smuggled and locally produced duty-unpaid cigarettes were widely available, with higher non-compliance rates in rural areas. The findings point to ongoing challenges in enforcement, monitoring, and market control, despite the formal rollout of digital tracking systems.

  • Vietnam Eyes Illicit Market as it Introduces Mixed Tobacco Tax  

    Vietnam Eyes Illicit Market as it Introduces Mixed Tobacco Tax  

    Vietnam’s planned introduction of a mixed tobacco excise tax from 2027 is expected to combine a 75% ad valorem rate with a gradually increasing specific tax, adding 2,000 VND ($0.08) per pack annually and reaching 10,000 VND ($0.38) by 2031. The policy aims to reduce smoking rates, increase the tax share of retail prices to nearly 60%, and boost excise revenue, which is projected to more than double to 39.1 trillion VND ($1.5 billion) by 2030. However, officials and experts warn that higher taxes could widen price gaps and push some consumers toward illicit tobacco, which already accounts for an estimated 20–22% of the market and causes annual tax losses of up to 6 trillion VND ($228 million).

    Authorities say stronger enforcement will be critical to support the policy, including higher penalties for smuggling and retail violations, expanded oversight of e-commerce sales, and coordinated action among customs, police, and border forces. Recent enforcement efforts have resulted in over 23 million packs of illicit cigarettes seized and more than 1,600 violations recorded, though officials note that trafficking remains widespread and increasingly sophisticated across multiple regions.

  • Belgium to Ban Flavored Vapes from 2028

    Belgium to Ban Flavored Vapes from 2028

    Belgium announced it will ban flavored e-cigarettes starting September 1, 2028, allowing only tobacco and neutral flavors under a measure approved by the federal government on April 30. The policy, proposed by Health Minister Frank Vandenbroucke, is aimed at reducing youth vaping by removing flavors, which officials say increase product appeal among teenagers. Government data cited in the decision shows more than one in three individuals aged 15 to 20 have tried e-cigarettes.

    The measure follows recommendations from the Superior Health Council and aligns with similar restrictions implemented in the Netherlands. Authorities said the delayed implementation allows time for EU procedures and for retailers to clear existing inventory. Retail groups, including Perstablo, have opposed the move, warning it could expand the illicit market and negatively impact businesses.

  • Cambodia Solidifies Public Tobacco Ban

    Cambodia Solidifies Public Tobacco Ban

    Cambodia’s Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport issued a directive banning the use, sale, and advertising of all tobacco products, including e-cigarettes, across a wide range of public spaces, particularly those linked to education and sports. The ban covers schools, training centers, dormitories, workplaces, gyms, and sports venues, and also prohibits the distribution and promotion of such products in and around these locations. Authorities have been instructed to implement health awareness programs and work with parents to identify and report violations for enforcement action.

    Education Minister Hang Chuon Naron said the measures align with broader government restrictions targeting the import, sale, possession, and production of electronic smoking devices and shisha products. Health experts noted that tobacco use remains prevalent despite existing public smoking bans and called for stronger enforcement.

  • Belgium Retail Group Proposes Generational Tobacco Ban

    Belgium Retail Group Proposes Generational Tobacco Ban

    Belgian retail federation Comeos is advocating for a gradual phase-out of tobacco sales to younger generations, proposing a policy that would permanently ban purchases for anyone born on or after January 1, 2009. The approach mirrors the UK’s “smoke-free generation” model and could also extend to vaping products, to reduce tobacco use over time as older consumers age out of the market.

    The proposal comes as Belgium prepares to revise its tobacco retail framework after the Constitutional Court struck down a ban on supermarket tobacco sales based on store size. Health Minister Frank Vandenbroucke has since pushed for broader restrictions, including a ban on tobacco sales in all food stores, while allowing sales to continue in specialized outlets such as newsagents.

  • Hong Kong Enforces Full Vape Ban with Strict Penalties

    Hong Kong Enforces Full Vape Ban with Strict Penalties

    Hong Kong implemented a city-wide ban on the possession and use of e-cigarettes and heated tobacco products as of April 30, with authorities warning of strict enforcement and penalties. Offenders carrying small quantities may face an on-the-spot fine of HK$3,000 ($390), while possession above specified thresholds could lead to prosecution, with maximum penalties of HK$50,000 ($6,500) and up to six months’ imprisonment.

    Officials said enforcement will be carried out through inspections, with increased outreach efforts targeting both residents and tourists ahead of peak travel periods. The ban does not apply to traditional shisha, which remains regulated under existing tobacco laws.

  • UK Tobacco and Vapes Bill Officially Becomes Law

    UK Tobacco and Vapes Bill Officially Becomes Law

    The UK’s Tobacco and Vapes Bill has officially become law today (April 29) after receiving Royal Assent, introducing a phased ban on tobacco sales to anyone born on or after January 1, 2009. Originally put forward in November 2024, the legislation makes it illegal for retailers to sell cigarettes to this cohort, effectively creating a “smoke-free generation” policy aimed at preventing future uptake of smoking.

    The law also grants the government new regulatory powers over vaping and nicotine products, including restrictions on advertising, sponsorship, packaging, and product displays, as well as expanded authority to introduce retail licensing and strengthen enforcement against illicit sales.

    “The passage of the Tobacco and Vapes Bill into law presents an opportunity for the government to shape the regulation of alternative nicotine products so that they can become a tool to enable the UK to achieve its ambition of a smoke-free future,” said Dr. Marina Murphy, senior director of scientific Affairs at Haypp. “A regulatory framework that prevents youth access but still gives adult smokers the opportunity to switch to a less harmful product is a win-win.”

  • Tobacco-Free Kids Launches Campaign to End F1’s Tobacco Ties

    Tobacco-Free Kids Launches Campaign to End F1’s Tobacco Ties

    Today (March 28), the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids launched a new advertising initiative, “End the Formula,” ahead of the May 3 Miami Grand Prix, calling on Formula 1 to eliminate all tobacco-related sponsorships. The campaign targets partnerships between major F1 teams and companies, including Philip Morris International and British American Tobacco, which promote nicotine pouch and e-cigarette brands such as Zyn, Velo, and Vuse through branding on cars, driver apparel, and digital media. The campaign ties into similar efforts that began in March, which included ads, coordinated outreach with 162 organizations across 57 countries, and more than 25,000 petition messages urging F1 and affiliated partners to end these sponsorship arrangements.