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Tag: vape ban

  • Philippine Health Groups Want Full Tobacco, Vape Ban

    Philippine Health Groups Want Full Tobacco, Vape Ban

    Public health groups in the Philippines are urging the government to impose a total ban on e-cigarettes, heated tobacco products (HTPs), and other nicotine delivery systems, citing their health risks and rising youth uptake. The renewed push follows Myanmar becoming the eighth ASEAN country to enforce a vape ban, while Philippine lawmakers continue to debate tax rates for tobacco and vape products. Data show that around 14% of Filipino youth and 2% of adults use e-cigarettes.

    HealthJustice board member Dr. Jaime Galvez Tan said a comprehensive ban would offer the strongest public health protection, ensure regulatory clarity, and complement calls for higher, uniform tobacco taxes. Dr. Ulysses Dorotheo of SEATCA noted that a total ban would also help address tax administration challenges, curb illicit trade, and align with the Philippines’ obligations under the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control.

  • Bangladesh Questions Constitutionality of Vape Ban

    Bangladesh Questions Constitutionality of Vape Ban

    The High Court Division of the Supreme Court of Bangladesh directed the government not to confiscate or seize vapes lawfully imported by 41 businessmen and issued a rule questioning the constitutionality of Section 6(Ga) of the Smoking and Tobacco Products Usage (Control) Act, 2005. The bench of Justice Ahmed Sohel and Justice Fatema Anwar asked authorities to explain why the provision, which restricts the manufacture, import, export, storage, sale, and promotion of electronic nicotine delivery systems, should not be declared unconstitutional and void.

    The order followed a writ petition filed by 41 traders, including Masud Uz Zaman, managing director of Vapor Cloud Ltd. Petitioners argued that Section 6(Ga) is discriminatory, banning vapes — described as a harm-reduction alternative — while permitting traditional cigarettes, allegedly violating the equality clause under Article 27 of the Constitution. The state was represented by the Deputy Attorney General during the hearing.

  • Uzbekistan Imposes Vape Ban

    Uzbekistan Imposes Vape Ban

    Beginning March 1, Uzbekistan implemented a complete ban on vapes and electronic cigarettes, covering production, possession, sale, import, and export, with violations carrying criminal penalties including fines, corrective labor, restriction of liberty, or up to five years’ imprisonment, following a law signed last November by President Shavkat Mirziyoyev. The Ministry of Justice stated that individuals who voluntarily surrender prohibited devices or report violations may avoid liability, while tourists are warned not to bring vapes or e-liquids into cities such as Tashkent and Samarkand. The move follows a similar policy in Kazakhstan, where a full ban on circulation has been in effect since June 2024, with criminal penalties applying to sales, distribution, and import but not personal use.

  • Vietnam Proposes Banning Tobacco Displays and Alternative Products

    Vietnam Proposes Banning Tobacco Displays and Alternative Products

    The Ministry of Health of Vietnam has proposed banning the display of tobacco products at wholesale and retail outlets and requiring cigarettes to be kept in closed cabinets, under draft amendments to the Law on Prevention and Control of Tobacco Harms. The proposal was presented at a policy workshop in Hanoi, where Deputy Health Minister Tran Van Thuan said that despite progress over 13 years, Vietnam still has about 15.8 million smokers.

    The draft amendments also call for a comprehensive ban on the production, trade, advertising, and use of e-cigarettes, heated tobacco, and other new tobacco products. Officials said allowing cigarette displays effectively permits point-of-sale advertising and increases access for children, noting that major cities average 13 tobacco outlets near each school. The ministry said the reforms align with the World Health Organization’s WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control.

  • Malaysian Vape Ban Would Leave 1.4M Users in Limbo

    Malaysian Vape Ban Would Leave 1.4M Users in Limbo

    Malaysia is moving toward a nationwide vape ban that could leave an estimated 1.4 million adult users in limbo, as policymakers weigh stricter enforcement under the Control of Smoking Products for Public Health Act 2024 and a possible phase-out of open and closed pod systems by 2026. While the government cites concerns over youth uptake and illicit drug-laced liquids, consumer groups and some public health experts warn that prohibition may drive sales underground or push former smokers back to combustible cigarettes, which remain far more prevalent among Malaysia’s 4.8 million smokers.

  • Indonesian Retailers Ban Vape Sales to Under-21s

    Indonesian Retailers Ban Vape Sales to Under-21s

    The Indonesian Vape Retailers Association (Arvindo) instructed all member stores to stop selling e-cigarettes to customers under 21, requiring retailers to display 21+ signage, and verify age with valid identification. Chairman Fachmi Kurnia said the move supports government efforts to curb youth access, a position echoed by the Tar and Smoke Free Movement, which maintains that alternative tobacco products should be reserved for adult smokers. Arvindo also urged policymakers to adopt science-based regulation and consider vaping’s harm-reduction potential, citing a 2025 JAMA Network study showing e-cigarettes were the most commonly used quit aid in England. The call comes as Indonesia faces persistently high smoking rates, with government data estimating 70 million active smokers, including significant youth prevalence.

  • Taiwan Fines Top $28M Since Vape Laws Changed

    Taiwan Fines Top $28M Since Vape Laws Changed

    Taiwan’s Health Promotion Administration said authorities have imposed NT$880 million ($28 million) in fines over the past three years for illegal e-cigarettes and unapproved heated tobacco products, following amendments to the Tobacco Hazards Prevention Act that took effect in March 2023. As of the end of January, officials had conducted more than 970,000 on-site and online inspections, issuing 10,084 penalties — 3,266 related to e-cigarettes and 6,818 to heated tobacco products — including 204 cases tied to online platforms and 2,033 involving illegal use. The agency reiterated that e-cigarettes remain illegal in Taiwan and warned of health risks.

  • Myanmar Bans Vapes

    Myanmar Bans Vapes

    Myanmar officially banned the import, export, sale, possession, and use of e-cigarettes, e-shisha and related accessories under an order issued by the Ministry of Health following Cabinet authorization. Enforced under the Essential Supplies and Services Law, the sweeping prohibition targets vaping products amid rising youth uptake. Deputy Director General Kyaw Kan Kaung said the move aims to protect public health, rejecting claims that e-cigarettes are safer than traditional cigarettes.

  • UK Retailers Bearing Brunt of Disposable Vape Ban

    UK Retailers Bearing Brunt of Disposable Vape Ban

    UK convenience vape sales fell sharply following last year’s disposable vape ban, with unit sales down 20.8% and value sales down 12.7% nearly eight months after implementation, according to data from Clarity by Talysis. Tracking EPoS data from thousands of independent and symbol-group stores, Talysis said the ban has delivered a “triple whammy” of reduced footfall, lower turnover, and higher operational complexity, as reusable and pod-based formats have failed to replace disposable sales fully.

    While overall vape consumption has not declined, shifts to multi-pod and “big puff” reusable products—offering significantly more liquid per purchase—have reduced store visits and transaction frequency, leaving retailers with lower income and more complex stock management amid a surge of new product SKUs. The agency added that tobacco and smoking alternatives’ share of the convenience market has fallen to 30.3%, with vaping no longer offsetting declines in traditional tobacco sales.

  • Denver Vape Shops File Suit Against Flavor Ban

    Denver Vape Shops File Suit Against Flavor Ban

    A group of Denver vape shop owners filed a lawsuit on January 23 challenging the city’s flavored tobacco ban, which took effect on January 1 after being approved by voters in November, arguing the ordinance is unconstitutional, inconsistently enforced, and harmful to small businesses. Filed by the Rocky Mountain Smoke Free Alliance, the complaint asks a Denver court to halt enforcement and declare the sale of separate flavor additives legal, claiming the ban violates equal protection, due process, and commercial speech rights by prohibiting flavored vaping products while exempting hookah tobacco and allowing continued cigarette sales.

    The plaintiffs say vague definitions tied to marketing and packaging create uncertainty for retailers and have already led to store closures, job losses, and an estimated $13 million decline in tax revenue, while city officials counter that the ban is aimed at reducing youth tobacco use and say enforcement will include education as well as public-facing and undercover compliance checks. Public health advocates maintain the law is legally sound and necessary, noting courts have repeatedly upheld similar flavored tobacco restrictions.