E-cigarettes worldwide: data on market trends and regulatory landscapes

22nd September 2023: Canada - Newfoundland and Labrador: The provincial government has introduced a smoking and vaping ban on all government property, including buildings, grounds, vehicles, and car parks, starting 27th September 2023. This prohibition applies to all employees, visitors, and contractors.
21st September 2023: Canada: Health Canada published the Canadian Tobacco and Nicotine Survey (CTNS) 2022, which measures the prevalence of cigarette smoking, vaping, cannabis, and alcohol use among Canadians aged 15 and older. The findings are based on nine weeks of data collection from 30th November 2022 to 31st January 2023. The CTNS found that, in 2022, 18.2% (5.8m) of Canadians had ever vaped while 5.8% (1.8m) of Canadians reported vaping in the past 30 days. Among those who used a vape in the past 30 days, 33.5% (619,000) reported current smoking, 26.9% (498,000) reported former smoking, and 39.5% (730,000) reported never smoking.
15th September 2023: Kazakhstan: The Ministry of National Economy published for public consultation a consultative document of regulatory policy to the draft of the Tax Code. The consultation will last until 29th September. The consultative document seeks to gradually increase the excise tax rate on cigarettes in Kazakhstan with the aim to harmonise excise tax rates on cigarettes in line with the rates in the other Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) countries (Armenia, Belarus, Kyrgyzstan and Russia). The document does not address any proposed changes to the tax regime for e-liquids.
14th September 2023: Kazakhstan: The government intends to introduce an e-cigarette ban from 1st January 2024, media reports. International public health experts have reportedly expressed concern about the country’s upcoming total vaping ban, since it may lead smokers to return to cigarettes. In July, a governmental interdepartmental commission decided to completely ban e-cigarettes and e-liquids in Kazakhstan. However, the corresponding changes have not yet been implemented.
13th September 2023: Israel: Yesterday (12th September), the Health Ministry submitted its report on smoking in Israel 2022 to the Knesset (parliament). The report states that 3% of children in grades 5 and 6, and 10% of grade-10 teenagers had used electronic smoking products in the previous 30 days. It recommended stricter regulations, specifically regarding electronic nicotine products, to reduce the potential harm to public health. A few weeks ago, the Ministry of Health published for public comment new measures that would apply to all smoking and tobacco products, with the aim of curbing the use of alternative nicotine products among young people.
13th September 2023: Iran: The Chamber of Guilds has issued a news release prohibiting the sale and supply in chain and franchise shops of tobacco products, including heated tobacco and e-cigarettes. The release explained that this action is in line with the Ministry of Health’s efforts to combat tobacco use.
13th September 2023: Iraq: The Council of Representatives has held the first reading of the Tobacco Protection Bill, which was presented by the Health and Environment Committee. It regulates electronic nicotine products under the tobacco framework for advertising and public place usage. It also imposes notification and labelling requirements.
13th September 2023: Australia: Health minister Mark Butler has announced that a regulation is about to be introduced to further restrict nicotine-containing and nicotine-free vaping products. The bill, if passed, will impose neutral packaging and health warning requirements for vaping products and prohibit advertising them at the federal level. The bill also proposes a flavour ban and is expected to envisage a disposable vaping products ban, measures which had been announced in May 2023. The government expects the bill to come into force on 1st April 2024. Industry would be given a year from that date to comply with requirements, and retailers would be given a further three months.
13th September 2023: Kyrgyzstan: The Committee on Budget, Economic and Fiscal Policy of the Jogorku Kenesh (parliament) has approved the amendment seeking to oblige all organisations and enterprises, including state and local authorities, to equip designated smoking/vaping areas, media reports.
8th September 2023: New Zealand: The Vaping Regulatory Authority has lost a court case against the retailer Vapo for incorrectly threatening vape retailers for selling non-compliant products, press reports. Although the regulations set the nicotine strength at 50 mg/ml, the authority said that the amount of pure nicotine allowed in nicotine salt vaping substances is generally between 26 and 37 mg/ml, as nicotine salts are not composed entirely of nicotine. Vapo challenged the authority on the basis that its interpretation was incorrect and unlawful. The court found that Vapo's interpretation of the regulations was correct. The government has since amended the regulations to lower the maximum nicotine strength to 28.5 mg/ml, and whether the ministry is able to lawfully reduce the limit is currently before the court.
8th September 2023: Malaysia: Yesterday, 7th September, the High Court denied the petition of anti-tobacco groups to temporarily suspend the health minister's order excluding nicotine-containing e-liquids from the Poisons Act while awaiting a judicial review, press reports. The petition, issued within the context of the lawsuit filed by three non-governmental organisations (NGOs) against the same minister's order, has been rejected because the applicants have not shown "special circumstances" for the suspension. The Court has set the hearing date for 6th December.

Stay up-to-date with key market trends and regulatory news and receive complimentary data on a regular basis

LATEST ALERTS

E-cigarettes worldwide

News analysis

Daily news alerts

Market reports

Regulatory reports

Interested in this region? Check our new country subscriptions

Pricing

Regulatory trackers

Market profile databases

Regulatory databases

Product feature trackers

Sign up to our newsletter

Start your FREE trial