Category: Legislation

  • Indonesia Tightens Tobacco Rules

    Indonesia Tightens Tobacco Rules

    Photo: Taco Tuinstra

    Indonesia has tightened controls on tobacco sales and distribution, according to The Jakarta Post.

    The new rules prohibit sales of cigarettes and electronic cigarettes to people under 21 and pregnant women. They also ban cigarette and e-cigarette sales within 200 meters of an educational institution as well as on digital platforms that do not have an age verification system. Retailers are also barred from selling individual cigarettes, and all machine-rolled cigarettes must be sold in packs of 20 cigarettes.

    Observers have previously noted that selling individual cigarettes tends to attract younger consumers, largely because they are sold without packages carrying warning labels and cost less up front.

    With more than one-third of Indonesian adults (35.4 percent) smoking, Indonesia ranks among the world’s largest cigarette markets, according to the World Health Organization. And bucking the global trend, where tobacco use among individuals aged 15 years and above is projected to drop to 18.1 percent in 2023, tobacco prevalence in Indonesia is expected to increase to 38.7 percent in 2030.

  • Thailand: Call for Targeted Vape Law

    Thailand: Call for Targeted Vape Law

    Photo: Looker Studio | Carsten Reisinger

    Thailand should create a law specifically targeting vaping, Deputy Public Health Minister Thanakrit Jitareerat told the National Health Commission Office on Aug. 1, according to a report in The Taiger.

    With various agencies independently enforcing measures based on different laws, Thailand has been unable to halt the spread of vaping, according to the minister.

    “The measures we have rolled out to date have proved ineffective, so a specific law on the matter must be drafted as soon as possible, describing vaping as a serious threat to society,” Jitareerat was quoted as saying.

    National Health Commission Office Chairman Banjerd Singkaneti countered that the government should refine existing laws to provide clearer guidelines for authorities.

    “In the long run, possession of e-cigarettes should be clearly prohibited by law so that the police will have no excuse not to pursue legal action,” Banjerd said.

    The Office of the Consumer Protection Board seized 100,000 illegal e-cigarettes in 2023, up from 27,000 in 2020.

  • Philippines Halts Online Vapes Trade

    Philippines Halts Online Vapes Trade

    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 and Industry (DTI) of 90,000 companies engaged in the vape business revealed that 284 had violated various laws, by selling vapes within 100 meters of a school or by 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.

    While supporting the DTI in its efforts to protect consumers and prevent youth access to vaping products, the Coalition of Asia Pacific Tobacco Harm Reduction Advocates (CAPHRA) said an outright suspension of online sales would not solve the problem.

    Instead, the organization argued for greater enforcement of existing laws.

    “While the intention behind the suspension is commendable, CAPHRA believes that a more effective approach would be to enhance enforcement measures rather than imposing outright bans that could inadvertently drive consumers back to more harmful combustible tobacco products,” said CAPHRA representative Clarisse Virgino.

  • Georgia to Require Production Licenses

    Georgia to Require Production Licenses

    Photo: Taco Tuinstra

    Georgian lawmakers approved legislation requiring tobacco manufacturers to obtain licenses, reports Front News Georgia. They set the license fee at GEL50,000 ($18,521.26).

    The amended Law On Tobacco Control mandates licenses for activities such as slicing, coating, dipping and mixing raw tobacco, as well as the production of cigarettes. The packaging of finished tobacco products and cigarettes also falls under the new licensing requirements.

    Excluded from the licensing requirements are tobacco importers, leaf growers and primary processors.

    The government will determine the specific rules and conditions for obtaining a tobacco production license through a normative act.

    An explanatory note accompanying the draft law highlighted the importance of improving and strengthening the tobacco production process to reduce the use of harmful raw materials. According to the note, high-tech processing by reputable manufacturers can improve health protection standards for smokers.

  • Cooks Islands Ban Vape Trade

    Cooks Islands Ban Vape Trade

    Photo: Stella Kou

    The Cook Islands has 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 years 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. 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.

  • Trade Group Suggests Changes to U.K. Vapes Bill

    Trade Group Suggests Changes to U.K. Vapes Bill

    Photo: VPZ

    Responding to the announcement, made during the Kings Speech on July 17, that the Tobacco and Vapes Bill is back on Britain’s legislative agenda, the U.K. Vaping Industry Association (UKVIA) proposed several amendments to the legislation.

    Among other suggestions, the industry group proposed a vape retail and distributor licensing scheme that would prohibit rogue resellers from trading and provide £50 million ($64.88 million) funding to support heightened enforcement by an under-resourced Trading Standards.

    It also suggested giving the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency new powers to outlaw child-friendly imagery and packaging.

    In addition, the UKVIA proposed the introduction of a statutory requirement for the Secretary of State to consult with any interested stakeholders prior to introducing any new regulations.

    “In its haste to rush this legislation through, the previous administration failed to consider any of these sensible and proportionate measures which would help smokers quit, protect young people and give much-needed funds to create a fit-for-purpose regulatory and enforcement framework moving forward,” said UKVIA Director General John Dunne in a statement.

    “The UKVIA sincerely hopes that the new government and Wes Streeting as Secretary of State for Health and Social Care and his department takes the time to get this right and does not fall into the trap of rushing it through as the Conservatives attempted to do.”

    The powers contained in this bill have the potential to cause either enormous good or enormous harm for the health outcomes of the nation and this is why our politicians must act with care to get it right.

    John Dunne, director general, UKVIA

    According to Dunne, there is much at stake.

    “The powers contained in this bill have the potential to cause either enormous good or enormous harm for the health outcomes of the nation and this is why our politicians must act with care to get it right,” he said.

    “At its worst, it could lead to the ban of all flavored vapes, the end of retail in-store displays and vape products hidden from view just like deadly cigarettes. This would be the worst possible outcome because restricting vape sales would encourage former smokers to return to cigarettes and open the floodgates for black market dealers to take over the supply chain and target vulnerable young people in the process.

    “At best, it will give impetus to help the country’s 6.4 million smokers finally quit cigarettes, prevent millions of unnecessary of deaths and save the NHS hundreds of millions of pounds in treatment costs.”

  • ‘Boris Johnson’ to Keep Vaping Legislation on Westminster Agenda

    ‘Boris Johnson’ to Keep Vaping Legislation on Westminster Agenda

    Photo: Riot Labs

    E-liquid manufacturer Riot Labs delivered a life-sized replica of former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson to Westminster in an attempt to get vaping legislation back on the agenda for the new Labour government.

    Ex Prime Minister Rishi Sunak tried to bring in some of the world’s strictest anti-smoking rules and wanted to ban disposable vapes, ban flavors and ban branding, which Riot Labs said would be “a disaster for the vape sector and the millions of adult smokers trying to quit cigarettes.”

    Rishi’s plan failed to become law before he called an election, but Labour recently expressing its commitment to the generational tobacco ban.

    A recent study conducted by One Poll and commissioned by the U.K. Vaping Industry Association found 83 percent of surveyed vapers say flavored vapes helped them ‘pack in their smoking habit’. It also found one in three respondents (an estimated 1.5 million vapers) believes a ban on flavors would lead them back to conventional cigarettes.

    The Royal College of Physicians too has warned against a wholesale limiting of flavors accessible to adults, arguing that “The use of flavors by adults trying to quit smoking is an integral part of the effectiveness of vaping as a quit aid.”

    “This year has been a tumultuous one for the vape sector, with the government trying—and ultimately failing—to rush through unjustified new vaping laws which would have been dangerous for millions of adult smokers trying to quit” said Riot Labs CEO Ben Johnson.

    “The reality of Sunak’s vaping legislation is giving people less choice, less value and ultimately less reasons to quit smoking at all. Now Labour’s in power, smoking and vaping policy will be back on the lengthy to-do list and we’ll be taking the fight to policymakers to stand-up for the vape sector.”

    The Boris stunt comes a month after Riot Labs and Right Vape, Northampton vape shop, took aim at the vaping legislation with the opening of the “The Flavourless Vape shop.” Opened by Rishi Sunak lookalike Sanju, the launch of the shop took an unexpected turn when “Rishi Sunak” was egged by an angry member of the public who mistook him for the real prime minister.

    “We are massively in favor of laws to tackle youth vaping, such as a fully funded license scheme for retailers, but we strongly disagree on the government’s approach to a flavor ban,” said Ben Johnson.

  • Major Australian Pharmacies Against Vape Sales

    Major Australian Pharmacies Against Vape Sales

    Image: Catrina Haze

    Several major pharmacy chains in Australia have stated that they will not stock vapes once their sale is prohibited outside of pharmacies and a prescription requirement for adults is lifted.

    In communications with their stakeholders, TerryWhite Chemmart, Priceline Pharmacy, National Pharmacies in South Australia and 777 Group in West Australia all voiced strong disagreement with new laws allowing the sale of vapes without prescriptions.

    In a statement, The Pharmacy Guild of Australia said Blooms and thousands of independent pharmacies had also opposed the government’s deal with the Greens to open access for adults from October.

    Chemist Warehouse has told the ABC it is still looking at the implications of the decision and seeking more information on how it will work.

    While those pharmacies have indicated they will not be moving to stock vapes, franchisors under the brands are technically able to make an independent decision to do so.

    Many pharmacies under those brands already supply vapes nationwide or are licensed to do so. The key dispute raised by them is the “down scheduling” of vapes from requiring scripts to being available behind the counter for adults once they have had a conversation with their pharmacist.

    Health Minister Mark Butler said earlier this week that pharmacies would not be forced to stock vapes and the government did not expect that all pharmacies would.

  • Australia Softens Prescription Mandate

    Australia Softens Prescription Mandate

    Photo: Zerophoto | Adobe Stock

    Australia will soften a proposed ban on vaping following opposition from the Greens party, leading the government to agree to revise a bill that would have limited vapes to those with a doctor’s prescription.

    The agreement between the ruling center-left Labor Party and the Greens will lead to the passage of legislation later this week that restricts the sale of vapes to pharmacies and removes them from retail shelves. This move is aimed at curbing the rise in youth vaping.

    However, the bill falls short of the government’s initial ambition to restrict sales only to those with a doctor’s prescription, which would have been a world first. The amended bill will take effect on July 1, reports Reuters.

    Under the compromise deal, vapes will be moved “behind the counter” in October. Customers will need to have a conversation with the pharmacist before making a purchase, and those under 18 years old will need a prescription.

    Health Minister Mark Butler said in a statement that the government “welcomed constructive engagement with the crossbench and secured the support of the Greens for our world-leading vaping laws.”

    The Labor Party does not have a majority in the upper house and must negotiate with other parties and independent senators to pass legislation.

  • ‘Tobacco Lobbying Booming in U.S.’

    ‘Tobacco Lobbying Booming in U.S.’

    Credit: Ball Studios

    Around the United States, statehouses from Harrisburg, Pennsylvania., to Tallahassee, Florida., are being flooded with tobacco industry lobbyists, according to a new report from the anti-smoking advocacy group Action on Smoking and Health.

    According to the latest edition of the group’s Tobacco Industry Lobbyist and Lobbying Firm Registration Tracker, released Thursday, at least 950 lobbyists represent cigarette, vape, and snus companies in statehouses around the country, according to an article from StatNews.

    The number of lobbying registrations tied to tobacco companies jumped over 10 percent from 2023 to 2024.

    ASH’s overall tally, based on publicly available lobbying registration data, is likely an undercount because several states only require lobbying firms, not individual lobbyists, to register with them.