TobaccoReporter logo

Tag: vape ban

  • UK Passes Tobacco and Vapes Bill to Create ‘Smoke-Free Generation’

    UK Passes Tobacco and Vapes Bill to Create ‘Smoke-Free Generation’

    The UK Parliament has passed the Tobacco and Vapes Bill, introducing a phased ban on cigarette sales to anyone born on or after January 1, 2009, effectively creating a “smoke-free generation.” The legislation also grants ministers new powers to regulate tobacco, vaping, and nicotine products, including controls on flavors, packaging, and marketing.

    The bill expands restrictions on vaping, banning its use in cars carrying children as well as in playgrounds, near schools and at hospitals, while allowing use in certain outdoor and private settings. Smoking and vaping will remain permitted in homes and some outdoor spaces, including hospitality venues.

    Officials described the measure as a major public health intervention aimed at reducing smoking-related harm, while some lawmakers raised concerns about its impact on retailers. Health groups welcomed the legislation and called for additional support for smoking cessation programs, however, critics find the regulation too broad and obtuse.

    “A critically important element of the Tobacco and Vapes Bill is that it gives the government the power to regulate nicotine pouch products,” said Markus Lindblad, head of legal and external affairs at Haypp. “Nicotine pouches do not contain tobacco, nor produce vapor, so they fell outside the scope of existing nicotine product laws. Introducing regulations such as an 18+ age-of-sale and an upper limit of 20mg of nicotine per pouch will help send the message that these products are for adult nicotine users only. Oral nicotine products have enabled Sweden to achieve smoke-free status, and with sensible regulation arising from this Bill, pouches can play a similar role driving down smoking rates in the UK.”

  • Malaysian Vape Industry Group Pushes Back on Drug Contamination Claims

    The Malaysian Retail Electronic Cigarette Association (MRECA) raised concerns over reports of vape products containing prohibited substances, while emphasizing that such cases are linked to illicit trade rather than the regulated industry. The group said products approved by the Ministry of Health must meet strict testing and compliance requirements and are distributed through licensed retail channels.

    MRECA said illegal or contaminated products are typically sold through unregulated markets, including unauthorized online platforms, and should not be conflated with compliant offerings. The association also warned about the spread of misleading content on social media, which it said has unfairly implicated legitimate retailers and created confusion about enforcement efforts.

    The group has filed complaints with authorities to address false claims and called for clearer distinctions between regulated products and illicit goods. MRECA said it will continue working with regulators to support enforcement and maintain industry standards.

  • 7th Circuit Upholds Wisconsin Ban on Unauthorized Vape Sales

    7th Circuit Upholds Wisconsin Ban on Unauthorized Vape Sales

    The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit has ruled that federal law does not preempt Wisconsin’s authority to ban the sale of e-cigarettes that lack FDA authorization, allowing the state to continue enforcing its restrictions. The decision rejects arguments from vaping industry groups that federal tobacco regulations should override state-level controls on product sales and marketing.

    The court found that while the FDA regulates tobacco products at the federal level, states retain the power to impose their own rules on how such products are sold within their borders. The ruling reinforces the ability of states to take independent action against unauthorized vaping products, particularly those that have not received marketing authorization from the FDA.

  • Indonesia to Enforce New Vape Rules from July

    Indonesia to Enforce New Vape Rules from July

    Indonesia is set to implement new e-cigarette regulations from July under Government Regulation No. 28/2024, aligning controls more closely with those for conventional cigarettes. The rules will introduce a minimum age of 21, restrict advertising (including social media), set limits on nicotine content, mandate pictorial health warnings, and create smoke-free areas. The move is part of broader efforts to strengthen public health protections, with officials also preparing additional guidelines and highlighting the need to address youth access and marketing practices.

  • SNP Proposes Vape Display Ban if Re-elected

    SNP Proposes Vape Display Ban if Re-elected

    Scotland’s ruling Scottish National Party (SNP) has pledged to ban the display of vaping products in retail outlets if re-elected, aligning vape regulations more closely with existing tobacco restrictions. The move, aimed at reducing youth appeal linked to colorful packaging and in-store visibility, would be enabled through powers in the UK’s pending Tobacco and Vapes Bill. The proposal builds on existing measures, including the ban on single-use vapes, and reflects broader efforts to tighten controls on nicotine products amid concerns over rising youth usage.

  • French Group Urges Stricter Vape Controls, Plain Packaging

    French Group Urges Stricter Vape Controls, Plain Packaging

    French advocacy group Contre-Feu called for tighter regulation of e-cigarettes, accusing manufacturers of targeting young people through flavored products, packaging, and marketing. The group is pushing for measures including plain packaging, stricter rules on flavor naming, and a ban on online sales, citing survey data showing more than half of 13–16 year-olds are drawn to vaping by sweet or fruity flavors. The intervention comes as smoking rates decline in France, but vaping grows, with the market generating around €1.6 billion annually, highlighting concerns that nicotine companies are shifting focus to sustain demand among younger consumers.

  • Russian Retailers Pull Vapes Ahead of Potential Ban

    Russian Retailers Pull Vapes Ahead of Potential Ban

    In Russia’s Nizhny Novgorod region, around 550 retailers voluntarily removed vapes and e-liquids from sale amid a broader crackdown on the category and expectations of a future nationwide ban. Regional authorities said the initiative follows a 2025 self-regulation program that encouraged businesses to exit the vape market, citing concerns over counterfeit products and weak regulatory oversight. Enforcement actions have also intensified, including store closures for violations, as officials signal a shift toward stricter controls and possible federal prohibition of vape sales in the near term.

  • Seoul Expands No-Smoking Enforcement to Vaping

    Seoul Expands No-Smoking Enforcement to Vaping

    The city of Seoul will begin business inspections and public outreach ahead of April 24, when revisions to the Tobacco Business Act take effect, classifying all nicotine-using e-cigarettes and vaping devices as tobacco products. The change means vaping will be subject to the same restrictions as combustible cigarettes, including bans in designated no-smoking zones. Officials said the revision closes a legal gap dating to 1988, which previously allowed some vaping-related fines to be overturned because e-cigarettes were not explicitly covered by the law.

    From April 14 to May 15, Seoul will conduct city-wide inspections of retailers, including unmanned shops, while running public awareness efforts from April 13–23.

  • Dutch Retailers Keep Selling Illegal Vapes Despite Fines

    Dutch Retailers Keep Selling Illegal Vapes Despite Fines

    Hundreds of retailers across the Netherlands continue selling illegal flavored vapes and supplying minors despite repeated penalties, according to reporting by RTL Nieuws based on enforcement data from the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority. Records show 244 businesses were fined at least twice over four years, with 72 receiving five fines and six racking up 10 or more; one seller was issued a 14th fine during an inspection observed by reporters and said stopping sales was “not worth it.”

    Inspectors say nearly half of vape checks ended in a fine or warning, but current penalties — ranging from €1,360 for a first offense to a maximum cumulative €22,500 — are failing to deter persistent violators. Administrative law professor Herman Bröring of the University of Groningen told RTL the system is “not working well enough,” while NVWA officials acknowledged sellers are increasingly hiding stock to evade checks as the agency adapts its inspection tactics.

  • Indonesia Proposes Vape Ban Over Narcotics Concerns

    Indonesia Proposes Vape Ban Over Narcotics Concerns

    Indonesia’s National Narcotics Agency (BNN) proposed a nationwide ban on electronic cigarettes and vape liquids as part of revisions to the country’s narcotics and psychotropic substances bill, citing evidence that vaping devices are being used to distribute illicit drugs. BNN chief Suyudi Ario Seto told lawmakers that lab tests on 341 vape liquid samples found synthetic cannabinoids in 11 samples, methamphetamine in one, and etomidate in 23. He said existing health regulations carry lighter penalties, limiting enforcement effectiveness.

    Seto noted that several ASEAN countries — including Singapore and Thailand — already prohibit vapes, arguing that banning the devices in Indonesia would help curb the spread of new psychoactive substances, 175 of which are already present in the country.