E-cigarettes worldwide

Mexico: The Federal Commission for the Protection against Sanitary Risks (Cofepris) and the Ministry of the Interior (Segob) have issued an alert about electronic cigarettes. According to Cofepris, these products contain carcinogens and toxic substances that pose a serious risk to health. In particular, they identified vitamin E acetate to be a toxic substance that can cause acute respiratory illnesses and even death.

New Zealand: The government announced through an official newsletter that a Smoke-free Environments and Regulated Products (Smoked Tobacco) Amendment Bill is expected to be presented in Parliament in late June 2022. This bill aims to reduce retail availability, change the age limits for sale of smoked tobacco products (cigarettes) and reduce their appeal. Despite not affecting heated tobacco and e-cigarettes so far, it shows the government commitment to banning conventional cigarettes and its support for vaping and heated tobacco products.

South Africa: The South African Bureau of Standards (SABS) has announced the establishment of a National Technical Committee to develop South African National Standards to guide the use of vaping products. The goal is to establish standards that guide the quality of the products and provide consumers with some assurance that the electronic devices and products are safe to use. Vaping products are not regulated in the country and a draft law is currently under discussion.

Russia: A bill prepared by the the Ministry of Finance proposes that from 1st January 2023, the illegal import of tobacco and alcohol products from Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) countries (Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Russia) should be punished by criminal sanctions (up to five years imprisonment), media reports. The ministry notes that the customs authorities record the facts of the import of tobacco and alcohol from the EAEU under the guise of transportation through Russian territory to other countries. The draft bill is supposed to be sent to the Russian government by July 2022. However, it is still unclear if it would be applicable to e-cigarettes and heated tobacco.

Australia: The New South Wales Ministry of Health has seized illegal e-cigarettes and nicotine-containing liquids amounting to a value of AUD1m ($690,000) since January 2022. The ministry frequently carries out investigations in order to withdraw illegal products from the market and protect young people. Individuals involved in selling illegal e-cigarettes face sanctions of up to AUD11,000 ($7,600), while corporations may be sanctioned up to  AUD55,000 ($38,000).

World: A new report from the World Health Organization (WHO) states that new problems have emerged as more and more tobacco companies have started producing nicotine pouches, e-cigarettes and heated tobacco. The report states that the electronic waste is set to exacerbate the industry’s huge ecological impact. “These products will not only keep consumers addicted to nicotine, they also will create a whole new ecological crisis, from mining for battery components, to the manufacturing of plastics, to the disposal of 'vaping pods,' and electronic devices, some of which of course also need electricity to function,” the WHO said.

Philippines: The first set of graphic health warning templates for electronic cigarettes and heated tobacco enters into force today. The templates are valid for a period of two years.

New Zealand: From today, all manufacturers and importers of vaping products must ensure that their products conform to the new packaging rules, including health warnings and new prohibited features.

Philippines: Candidate Ferdinand Marcos Jr., who is on the cusp of winning the presidential election, has previously opposed tobacco taxes, claiming they would slow down activities for producers, manufacturers and sellers. His sister, senator Imee Marcos, also opposed taxing e-cigs and heated tobacco in 2019. Official vote counting started today and is expected to go on for a few days, despite already showing Marcos with a commanding vote margin.

Brazil: In response to industry member requests, the National Public Health Surveillance Agency (ANVISA) has extended the deadline for receiving technical and scientific contributions about e-cigarettes and heated tobacco until 10th June. Previously, the agency published a report suggesting the current prohibition should be maintained, but any firm decisions will come later.