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Tag: vape ban

  • Malaysian State Gets Aggressive with Ads as it Eyes Vape Regs

    Malaysian State Gets Aggressive with Ads as it Eyes Vape Regs

    All local authorities in Selangor, Malaysia, have been instructed to immediately seize and confiscate advertisements related to e-cigarette products in the state, The Star reported. State public health and environment committee chairman Jamaliah Jamaluddin said the decision was made during a coordination meeting on May 16 to discuss the proposal of banning the sale of e-cigarettes.

    “This action is in line with the provisions of the Control of Tobacco Product for Public Health Act 2023 (Act 852), which explicitly prohibits any form of advertising, promotion, and sponsorship related to electronic smoking products,” she said in a statement today (May 20).

    Jamaliah said the meeting also examined various issues related to the use and sale of e-cigarettes, including enforcement challenges, licensing, legal aspects, and monitoring.

    “The issue of online sales was also discussed, as it is difficult to control and is often the main channel for teenagers to obtain these products,” she said. “According to the National Health and Morbidity Survey 2022 report, it is estimated that nearly 14.9% of male teenagers aged 13 to 17 in Malaysia use electronic cigarettes. This statistic is very worrying and calls for urgent proactive action at the state level.”

    Following this, she said the state government, through the Public Health Standing Committee, will hold a follow-up meeting soon to discuss policy options that should be considered before the final proposal is presented at the state executive council meeting for a decision.

  • Papua New Guinea Bans Vapes

    Papua New Guinea Bans Vapes

    Papua New Guinea’s Health Department declared an immediate ban on the importing and use of any form of vape products, effective immediately. Health Minister Elias Kapavore announced the ban May 13, saying he was concerned about the effects tobacco products had on people between the ages of 11 and 17 in the country.

    “As of [May 13], I want to say that we are signing off [on] the ban on e-cigarettes and it will be now formally issued though gazettal notice,” Kapavore said. “And once it’s published on the gazette, it will take seven days to get full effect for its full implementation, and any e-cigarette products coming to our country will be deemed illegal under our law.”

    The proposed ban prohibits the sale of e-cigarettes and their components. Those guilty of breaching the ban would face a K10,000 ($2,400) fine as an individual and K100,000 ($24,000) fine for a company. The company fine could be doubled for a “tobacco company.”

  • Iraq to Ban E-Cigarettes as Part of Larger Tobacco Crackdown

    Iraq to Ban E-Cigarettes as Part of Larger Tobacco Crackdown

    Yesterday (May 7), Iraq’s Ministry of Health announced plans to implement a nationwide ban on the import, sale, and circulation of electronic cigarettes, citing growing health concerns and a disturbing increase in their use among youth, including children.

    Dr. Wasim Kilani, assistant director of Iraq’s National Anti-Tobacco Program at the Ministry of Health, said a new legislative measure, titled the “Law for Protection from the Harmful Effects of Tobacco,” is set to be passed soon. This law will decisively prohibit the entry and commercial exchange of e-cigarettes and will include clear enforcement mechanisms such as fines, legal penalties, and confiscation of the devices.

    According to Ministry of Health statistics, 36% of Iraqi males, 18.7% of adults, and 11% of youth smoke. Kilani said e-cigarettes pose serious health risks and are becoming particularly popular among children, teenagers, and even young girls, due in part to their colorful designs and appealing flavors. “These devices have a dangerous impact on the brain and cognitive functions,” he said.

    The crackdown on vaping is part of a broader national anti-tobacco campaign. Iraq, like many countries in the Middle East, has long battled high rates of cigarette smoking, but, according to the Ministry, the introduction of e-cigarettes has complicated the landscape by attracting a younger, tech-savvy demographic who often perceive vaping as a safer alternative.

     While the bill still awaits formal passage, Kilani affirmed that its implementation will be strictly enforced, and he urged citizens, especially parents and educators, to support the effort to curb the vaping epidemic before it spirals further out of control.

  • Thailand’s Education Ministry Bans Vapes at Schools and Offices

    Thailand’s Education Ministry Bans Vapes at Schools and Offices

    Thailand’s Ministry of Education officially banned the use of e-cigarettes in all schools and offices under its jurisdiction, citing the growing popularity of vaping among young people, a government spokesman said yesterday (May 7).

    Deputy government spokesman Karom Polpornklang said the ministry recognized that more young people have taken up vaping due to increased accessibility and online advertisements specifically targeting youth. To combat this, the Ministry introduced four key measures to coincide with the ban: awareness campaigns, no-vaping signage, monitoring and prevention, and disciplinary action.

  • Hong Kong to Ban Vapes, Crack Down on All Tobacco 

    Hong Kong to Ban Vapes, Crack Down on All Tobacco 

    Hong Kong is seeking to ban the possession of e-cigarettes and other alternative smoking products in public by the end of April next year, along with other proposed measures to curb smoking in the city. Authorities are proposing to raise the fixed fine for smoking violations from HK$1,500 to HK$3,000 ($195 to $390). The statutory no-smoking areas would also be expanded. These measures were published in the Tobacco Control Legislation (Amendment) Bill 2025 last week.

    The bill, scheduled to be tabled at the Legislative Council April 30, covers eight smoking control measures that require legislative amendments.

    The bill also suggests authorizing the Secretary for Health to expand no-smoking areas based on the conditions of different districts, as well as to establish exemptions. Hong Kong residents will be barred from smoking while queuing for public transport or outside places with high foot traffic, such as sports venues and health centers.

    The sale of flavored traditional smoking products is banned under the proposed law, with the city’s authorities saying that tobacco companies have used flavorings to “disguise the toxicity” of the products and “entice young people to smoke.” The government plans to impose the ban in phases, with the first phase targeting products with specified additives, excluding menthol. A full implementation is expected to take place in the second quarter of 2027. Violators face a maximum fine of HK$50,000 ($6,500) and six months behind bars.

    In a move to crack down on illicit cigarettes, the government is proposing to require importers and local producers to ensure there is a label attached to every pack of taxed cigarettes sold. Selling or supplying any cigarettes that have no label on their packaging is prohibited.

    The bill also includes a prohibition on providing smoking products to individuals under 18, which is set to take effect on January 1 next year. Those who provide traditional smoking products to minors will face a fine of HK$3,000 for small quantities, while the maximum fine for larger quantities will be HK$25,000 ($3,250). Penalties for supplying alternative smoking products to underage individuals are higher, with a fine of up to HK$50,000 and six months’ imprisonment.

  • France Bans Disposable E-Cigarettes

    France Bans Disposable E-Cigarettes

    With a final vote in the Senate’s upper house, the French parliament today banned single-use electronic cigarettes, accusing them of being gateways to tobacco addiction for teenagers and harmful to the environment. France is the second EU country to enact such a ban, joining Belgium which did it in December.

    “It is a great victory in a two-pronged battle that we were fighting: an environmental battle against the polluting lithium batteries in these ‘puffs’, and a health battle for our schoolchildren,” lawmaker Francesca Pasquini, the author of the bill, said.

    “A fine piece of cross-party work!” lawmaker Michel Lauzzana said on X. “We are now awaiting the promulgation of this law and its application throughout the country.”

    The legislation was earlier approved by the National Assembly lower house.

  • Maldives Allows Police to Destroy Vapes

    Maldives Allows Police to Destroy Vapes

    Tobacco Control General Regulations published today in Maldives grant police the authority to seize and destroy vaping devices prohibited under the Tobacco Control Act. The import and use of vapes was banned in December, and while the existing law allows for fines on those who possess or sell vapes, it previously did not grant police the power to confiscate already imported devices. Under the new regulations, police can now confiscate vaping devices and related items found in possession or use.

    Individuals caught with a vape device will face a fine of MVR 2,000 ($130), while those who refuse to surrender the items to the police may be fined MVR 50,000 ($3,250). Distributing vapes for free results in a fine of MVR 10,000 ($650) and the sale of vapes incurs a fine of MVR 20,000 ($1,300). Additionally, selling vapes to individuals under 21 results in a fine of MVR 50,000.

  • Hong Kong Proposes Public Vape Ban

    Hong Kong Proposes Public Vape Ban

    Hong Kong authorities have proposed a citywide ban on the use and possession of e-cigarette cartridges and flavored tobacco products in public places, according to the South China Morning Post. The public ban would be the first of two phases, with the second phase expanding to non-public spaces.

    The proposal comes after a heated public debate where the government touted 10 measures aimed at reducing the city’s 7.8% smoking rate.

    Several business leaders cautioned that bans would discourage visitors and businesspeople from coming to the city.

  • No Vape Ban in Luxembourg

    No Vape Ban in Luxembourg

    While several neighboring countries and the European Commission are working toward banning vapor devices, Luxembourg is not.

    “We are adopting an approach based on observation and analysis of measures taken abroad,” the nation’s Ministry of Health said. “This enables us to assess the impact of these initiatives and to determine what further action, if any, could be envisaged in Luxembourg.”

    “From a health point of view, these products contain high doses of nicotine, encouraging rapid dependence, particularly among young people, and potentially leading them to other forms of tobacco consumption.”

    However, the Ministry believes that “a ban targeting disposable vapes alone would be limited in its effectiveness,” and is instead calling for a global approach that would include all electronic cigarettes and thus be “more coherent in addressing these issues.” The ministry says no studies have been carried out on the potential effect of vape sale bans in neighboring countries, and as it is, lower taxes mean that tobacco tourism is still very popular in Luxembourg.

    A 2023 bill to change the law on tobacco products is currently in committee. The bill specifically concerns the withdrawal of certain exemptions for heated tobacco products and was amended to include regulation on nicotine pouches. The text aims to ban certain flavors and limit the nicotine content of these products, however, disposable electronic cigarettes are not included in the bill.

  • Protesters Demand End to Mexico’s Vape Ban

    Protesters Demand End to Mexico’s Vape Ban

    Image: Sansert

    Vapers protested in front of Mexico’s Congress of the Union, calling for the country’s vaping ban to be replaced with risk-based regulation. The protest was organized by the World Vapers’ Alliance and All Vape Mexico.

    The protesters also demanded a halt to the constitutional reform proposed by President Andres Mauel Lopez Obrador that would elevate the ban to the Constitution. In addition, they called for approval of a risk-based regulation allowing adult smokers access to vapor products to quit smoking combustible cigarettes.

    Mexico’s vaping ban has been in place since May 2020.

    “The ban was introduced in order to prevent underage vaping; however, minors now have full access to potentially dangerous products on the black market,” said Alberto Gomez Hernandez, policy manager of the World Vapers’ Alliance. “At the same time, smokers who want to quit smoking have difficulty finding safe vaping products. The ban has clearly been a failure and must be reversed as soon as possible. Legislation cannot be based on whim or ideology; it must be based on scientific evidence and the experience of other countries that have had good results.”

    Vapes can easily be obtained on the informal market from underground vape shops and on the black market, which is controlled by organized crime groups.

    “It is very unfortunate that the federal government thought that the ban would prevent many young people from having access to vaping and does not give people who want to quit smoking the opportunity to use this option,” said Deputy Sergio Barrera. “We need to have clear rules. We need to know who can produce it, who can distribute it and who can consume it, and that is why we are pushing for regulation.”

    “The president sees a problem where there is actually a solution to smoking,” said Antonio Toscano, All Vape Mexico spokesperson. “His prohibitionist stance unprotects adult users, who are forced to buy black market products, where there are no quality controls, let alone controls on sales to minors. Prohibition is a danger to public health; good regulation could benefit public health enormously and save millions of lives.”