LATEST ALERTSUS – federal: The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) today issued warning letters to 30 retailers it accused of selling various unauthorised types of Puff and Hyde brand disposable e-cigarettes, including Puff Bar, which are among the most popular brands with young US users. “Protecting our nation’s youth from tobacco products – including disposable e-cigarettes – is a top priority,” FDA commissioner Robert Califf said. “We’re committed to holding all players in the supply chain – not just manufacturers but also retailers and distributors – accountable to the law.”
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31st May 2023 - World |
Global: Today, 31st May, is World No Tobacco Day, created by the World Health Organization (WHO)'s member states in 1987. While last year's World No Tobacco Day was dedicated to warning against the environmental costs of using tobacco and vaping products (‘Tobacco: Threat to our environment‘), this year focuses on calling on member states to end subsidies for tobacco farming and to shift to sustainable crops ("Grow food, not tobacco"). "People around the world are going hungry while 3 million hectares of our planet are used to grow tobacco," director-general of the WHO, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, said. The WHO published a report on the subject.
31st May 2023 - Europe |
EU: The European commissioner for health and food safety, Stella Kyriakides, has released an official statement marking World No Tobacco Day (today, 31st May). "Despite considerable progress made in addressing the use of tobacco in recent years, the number of smokers in the EU is still too high. We need to step up our action to deliver on the commitment to reduce tobacco consumption in the EU population from today's 25% to 5% by 2040", the commissioner said. Kyriakides' statement does not make any reference to the ongoing revision of the Tobacco Products Directive (TPD), but it does mention the new recommendation on smoke-free environments as a measure to be proposed this year to address new tobacco products.
Denmark: The Tax Agency has seized 28,000 disposable vapes that were not compliant with current tax regulations. The authority said that it is the second largest batch of disposables seized in a short period of time, and that controls will be strengthened and targeted at nicotine products and tobacco in general.
Ireland: The government is expecting to have the Public Health (Tobacco and Nicotine Inhaling Products) Bill 2019 passed before July, press reports. The bill was approved yesterday by the Cabinet. The bill prohibits the sale of vaping products to under-18s, as well as advertising near schools and on public transport. Meanwhile, an environmental charity has asked the government to ban disposable vaping products. The health minister, Stephen Donnelly, said that a ban on disposable vapes was being discussed, but it is not expected to be included in the bill.
Germany: The Federal Office of Consumer Protection and Food Safety (BVL) has updated the list of notified e-cigarette products, which now contains 321,132 vapour products. Only products notified at least six months ago are listed.
31st May 2023 - Europe, United Kingdom |
UK: A loophole that allows the vaping industry to give free vape samples to children in England is set to be closed, the Health Department announced yesterday. The government is also going to look into banning the sale of nicotine-free e-cigarettes to under-18s. Prime minister Rishi Sunak said: "Our new illicit vape enforcement squad – backed by £3 million – is on the case, but clearly there is more to do. That is why I am taking further action today to clamp down on rogue firms who unlawfully target our children with these products." The new measures could include issuing on-the-spot fines to non-compliant shops, increased education, and the introduction of dedicated school police officers to keep illegal vapes out of schools.
Ukraine: Yesterday, the Verkhovna Rada (parliament) adopted Bill 9206, amending the Advertising Act. The bill, among other things, specifically bans vaping product placement in audiovisual media and on video-sharing platforms. If signed by the president, it will come into force the day after publication.
31st May 2023 - Czech Republic, Europe |
Czech Republic: Manufacturers, distributors, and importers of e-cigarettes must submit their annual market information to the Ministry of Health by today, 31st May.
31st May 2023 - Czech Republic, Europe |
Czech Republic: According to the survey on the use of tobacco and alcohol, published annually by the State Health Institute ahead of World No Tobacco Day (today, 31st May), 24.4% of the population smoked last year. The survey shows a total of 10.2% of respondents used e-cigarettes at least once a month in 2022.
Kuwait: During an awareness campaign about the dangers of tobacco, the vice president of the National Anti-Smoking Programme (from the Ministry of Health), Ahmed El-Shatti, said that Kuwait is the cheapest in the Gulf region in terms of tobacco prices, and called for an increase in tobacco taxation to reduce consumption rates and the number of tobacco users, press reports. It should be noted that Kuwait has not yet adopted the 100% customs duty imposed by the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC).
Israel: The Ministry of Health has published a health promotion leaflet titled “Don't Believe the Lies You were Told; Vaping Can Be Fatal”, arguing that there is no evidence to support the effectiveness of e-cigarettes in smoking cessation. The ministry also said that the increasing use of e-cigarettes, particularly among young people in Israel, is driven by the perception that they are "lighter" and less harmful than traditional cigarettes, when in actual fact they pose significant health risks – such as nicotine addiction, attention deficit disorders, memory loss, mental health issues, elevated blood pressure and heart rate, and toxicity – to pregnant women and their babies.
31st May 2023 - Asia, United Arab Emirates |
UAE: The Abu Dhabi Public Health Centre has launched the “Tobacco Control Awareness Programme” to raise awareness about the health risks of tobacco and electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS). It emphasises their association with heart attacks, strokes, cancer, cardiovascular diseases, hypertension, and addiction, and stresses that ENDS are just as harmful as traditional tobacco products, with flavourings and nicotine levels that make them more addictive.
31st May 2023 - Africa, South Africa |
South Africa: As noted in our compliance calendar, from tomorrow, 1st June 2023, a flat excise duty rate of ZAR2.90 ($0.17) per ml for both nicotine and non-nicotine vaping products enters into force.
US - New York: Kent Sopris, president of the New York Association of Convenience Stores, has published an opinion piece about stopping teen vaping. He emphasises that history shows that prohibiting products only pushes them into the black market, and that a way of incentivising those markets is by creating legislation without proper enforcement strategies. He suggests that the money recently awarded to New York in the settlement with Juul should be used by state leaders "to protect children from the dangers of illegal disposable vapor products in kid-friendly flavors".
Germany: In answer to a question put by Bundestag member Rita Hagl-Kehl of the governing Social Democratic Party (SPD), state secretary Ophelia Nick said the commissioner for addiction and drug issues, Burkhard Blienert, had announced that he would work to restrict tobacco advertising and that existing regulations on the marketing and sponsorship of nicotine would be reviewed.
France: A bill to regulate the activities of influencers on social media and electronic platforms, banning any direct or indirect promotion of nicotine-containing products, has been approved by a joint committee after the National Assembly and the Senate were unable to reach agreement on the details. The bill was accelerated, enabling it to be approved after just one reading in each chamber. The exact date of its entry into force is still uncertain.
US - Texas: House Bill 4758 has been passed by both the House and the Senate and sent to the governor for signature. It would prohibit e-cigarette containers from depicting cartoon-like characters that mimic those aimed at minors; using trademarks or “trade dress” of products marketed to minors; featuring symbols or celebrity images primarily used to market products to minors; or resembling a food product, including candy or juice.
Slovenia: Ahead of tomorrow’s World No Tobacco Day (31st May), the Ministry of Health has published a statement on progress toward a “Slovenia free of tobacco and nicotine 2040” envisaged in the national tobacco strategy 2022-2030. The ministry warns against new tobacco and nicotine products, and cites the proposal, currently being discussed at ministerial level, to ban the sale of non-tobacco-flavoured vaping products and to include nicotine-free vaping products under the tobacco law.
Americas: Ahead of tomorrow’s World No Tobacco Day (31st May), Jarbas Barbosa, director of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), has warned that novel tobacco and nicotine products “threaten to undo decades of gains against tobacco use”. He said: “The tobacco industry and its allies do not rest. Currently, they spread a lot of misleading information that promotes, especially among young people, the use of e-cigarettes and heated tobacco products.”
Turkey: The re-election of Recep Tayyip Erdoğan to a third term as president, while the People’s Alliance led by his Justice and Development (AKP) party secured a majority in Parliament, suggests there is little prospect of any opening up of the e-cigarette sector. Erdoğan signed an order in 2020 banning the import of e-cigarettes.
30th May 2023 - France |
France: Health minister François Braun has said he is considering including e-cigarettes among the smoking cessation tools that can be prescribed and reimbursed by social security. This contrasts with the opinion issued by the High Council of Public Health (HCSP) in January 2022, when it said the evidence was insufficient to recommend vaping products as a smoking cessation aid. Braun again declared himself in favour of introducing a ban on disposable e-cigarettes.
Israel: Today, the Ministry of Health has again issued a warning against the use of e-cigs containing synthetic cannabinoids (ADB-BUTINACA and MDMB-4en-Pinaca) known as “Nice Guy”. They are sold illegally under the brand names RM Premium, Snoop Dogg, Fume Orjoy, Premium Vape, and The Bulldog and cause severe mental and physical effects such as psychosis, anxiety and panic attacks, cerebral edema, kidney damage, heart damage and bleeding in the digestive system.
Spain: Yesterday's local and regional elections resulted in a setback for the ruling Socialist Party, and today president Pedro Sánchez announced that parliamentary elections will take place on 23rd July, press reports. This means that the amendment to Decree 579/2017 – which the government started in April 2023 with the launching of a public consultation and which aims to establish neutral packaging requirements for e-cigarettes, among other restrictions – will not be passed in this legislative term.
Iran: Hassan Azaripour, member of the National Tobacco Control Secretariat at the Ministry of Health, has said that electronic cigarettes are not an effective smoking cessation tool but nicotine gum is extremely helpful, press reports.
29th May 2023 - Asia, Saudi Arabia |
Saudi Arabia: The country's sovereign wealth fund, the Public Investment Fund (PIF), has announced the establishment of a nicotine products company called Badeal. The company will support the country's Tobacco Endgame 2030 strategy, which aims to halve the current smoking rates, by developing and distributing tobacco-free nicotine products.
Portugal: A bill to amend the Tobacco Law was tabled in Parliament. The bill expands vaping public usage restrictions, and bans delivery sales and sales at festivals and cultural events. If adopted, the bill will take effect in October 2023, with the exception of the public usage restrictions which will come into force at a later date.
Vietnam: Deputy minister Tran Hong Ha has signed the National Strategy on Tobacco Harm Prevention and Control 2030. Measures include reducing the use of e-cigarettes, heated tobacco, and new tobacco products, and promulgating regulations for these products. Other details on how the measures will be implemented were not presented.
26th May 2023 - Europe, Luxembourg |
Luxembourg: The Ministry of Health has published an official webpage on the harmful effects of tobacco, ahead of World No Tobacco Day, which will take place on 31st May. The ministry raises concerns over the fact that "new types of products have emerged and are particularly targeted at young people", especially because "these products use very fruity flavors and are designed to be as appealing as possible to young people". The webpage also refers to a study that provides figures on the country's vaping population, which has increased from 9% of the population in 2021 to 13% in 2022.
26th May 2023 - North America, United States |
US - General: IMiracle Shenzhen Technology Co. Ltd. – the manufacturer of Elf Bar, Lost Mary and EBDesign – issued a statement about the placement of its products on the Food and Drug Administration (FDA)'s Import Alert # 98-06. The company stated that it was given no notice of the agency's decision and was provided no opportunity to address any FDA concerns before action was taken. “It is the job of the FDA to provide consistent and coherent regulatory clarity to the U.S. marketplace. This red list announcement fails to meet this responsibility and provides yet another example of FDA’s politicized decision-making", an IMiracle spokesperson stated.
26th May 2023 - World |
Global: The World Health Organization (WHO) is holding its 76th World Health Assembly from 21st to 30th May. The World Health Assembly – the decision-making body of the WHO – is tasked with determining the policies of the organisation, and is attended by delegations from all WHO member states. On 27th May, a strategic roundtable will be held to "call for Member States to set up implementation of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control measures and in particular support increased tobacco taxes towards public revenues".
26th May 2023 - Asia, Uzbekistan |
Uzbekistan: A bill to regulate novel tobacco and nicotine products and ban their sale to under-21s has been officially published. It will come into force on 26th August 2023.
Spain: The Spanish Society of Family and Community Medicine has issued a warning about a rise in the use of vaping products by teenagers. It says a poll conducted during Smoke-free Week found 90% of participants were in favour of extending the list of places where smoking and vaping are prohibited, while 21% of teenagers between 14 and 18 used e-cigarettes, 14% used hookahs, and 13% smoked.
Latvia: The parliamentary Social and Labour Affairs Committee yesterday partially rejected a proposal to exempt menthol and tobacco flavours from a ban put forward in a bill “amending the law on the circulation of tobacco products, herbal smoking products, electronic smoking devices and their liquids,” press reports. While it was agreed that tobacco flavour should be allowed, the committee decided menthol “could facilitate nicotine consumption”. Another proposal was to ban the sale of tobacco and substitute products, herbal smoking products, e-cigarettes and refill containers to anyone under 20. Those proposals will be discussed in the final debate on the bill, which is expected to take place before July.
25th May 2023 - Europe, United Kingdom |
UK: Prime minister Rishi Sunak today expressed concern about the prospect of his children taking up vaping after a BBC report that analysis of non-compliant e-cigarettes confiscated from secondary school pupils in Kidderminster, Worcestershire showed high levels of lead, nickel and chromium. The government is currently consulting on vaping rules, and reports of this kind are likely to galvanize policymakers into action – especially with some industry members estimating that the illicit e-cig market exceeds the legal market (a view not shared by ECigIntelligence, which estimates it at 20%).
25th May 2023 - Australasia, Australia |
Australia: The government of Queensland has passed legislation to strengthen the state’s anti-smoking and illicit tobacco laws and their enforcement. The Tobacco and Other Smoking Products Amendment Bill 2023 introduces a licensing scheme for the sale of tobacco, expands the list of non-vaping areas and imposes tougher restrictions on vape sales at licensed venues. A parliamentary inquiry into vaping and e-cigarettes, with a focus on children and teenagers, will also shortly begin, concluding with a Health and Environment Committee report to be made to the Legislative Assembly by 31st August.
Indonesia: Firman Soebagyo, one of 85 Golkar party members in the 575-seat House of Representatives, where they are supportive of president Joko Widodo, has called on the government to immediately enact regulations for e-cigarettes, referring in particular to restrictions on ingredients, press reports.
25th May 2023 - Europe, Switzerland |
Switzerland: Following the adoption of the people’s initiative “Children without Tobacco”, which calls for a ban on tobacco and vaping advertising aimed at children and adolescents, the Federal Office of Public Health has presented a fact sheet revealing that the advertising ban set down in the Tobacco Products Act is to be extended to all print media and points-of-sale. Online advertising will remain legal as long as an age-verification system is in place. The initiative is expected to be implemented in 2026.
25th May 2023 - Czech Republic, Europe |
Czech Republic: The Ministry of Finance has published a bill which would introduce a tax of CZK10 (€0.42) per ml on e-cig refills, regardless of nicotine content, from January 2024.
Lithuania: Bill XIVP-2791, which would ban vaping products containing sugar and/or sweeteners, was registered in the Seimas (parliament) yesterday. If adopted, it will come into force on 1st November. An explanatory letter says that although the Tobacco Control Act already bans the sale of e-cigarettes and e-liquids containing certain additives and non-tobacco flavourings, this has not reduced the popularity of e-cigarettes among young people as expected.
25th May 2023 - Asia, Uzbekistan |
24th May 2023 - Europe, Switzerland |
Switzerland: The National Council Committee for Economic Affairs and Taxation has submitted a motion calling on the Federal Council to draft a report on the taxation of tobacco products and e-cigarettes. It says the report should address issues such as the categorisation of new products, the impact of taxes on the black market, and tax adjustments based on average market prices. Earlier this year, during a debate on amending the Tobacco Tax Act, the Committee for Social Security and Health called for a tax on all e-cigarettes and for e-liquids to be taxed according to their nicotine content. The current bill sets a rate of CHF0.20 (€0.20) rate per ml of nicotine-containing e-liquid for reusable e-cigarettes and CHF1 (€1) per ml for disposable e-cigarettes, regardless of nicotine content.
US - Texas: House Bill 4758 has been passed by the Senate and now heads to the governor’s desk. It would ban e-cigarette containers that depict cartoon-like characters; mimic trademarks or appearance of products primarily marketed to minors; include symbols or celebrity images aimed at minors; or resemble food products, including candy or juice.
Lithuania: The Seimas (parliament) has approved the government’s 12-year agenda on drug, tobacco and alcohol control, which aims to reduce supply and consumption, media reports. The document recommends that controls should be prepared and implemented at municipal level.
23rd May 2023 - North America, United States |
US - federal: The Food and Drug Administration (FDA)’s Center for Tobacco Products (CTP) has hired its first senior advisor for health equality. Charlene Le Fauve has 25 years’ experience of federal work related to health equality, dedicating her career to “advancing health equity and the health of under-served and under-represented populations through research and research workforce development”.
23rd May 2023 - Australasia, Australia |
Australia: The head of the Border Force, Michael Outram, has warned that government plans to prohibit the import of vaping products and make them subject to prescription, regardless of their nicotine content, will not be enough to combat the black market, press reports. “A border ban by itself may be partly effective, but it won’t be fully effective to solve the problem,” he said.
Slovakia: A draft amendment to the Act on the Production, Labelling and Sale of Tobacco Products that would equate the regulation of nicotine-free e-cigarettes with that of those containing nicotine has moved to its second reading in the National Council, media reports. If adopted, it will come into force on 1st September.
India: The Health Ministry has called for stricter enforcement of the statutory e-cigarette ban, which covers manufacturing, import, export, distribution and advertising of e-cigs, including parts and accessories, press reports.
Ukraine: Bill 9315, prohibiting the sale of e-liquids in duty-free shops, has been registered in the Verkhovna Rada (parliament). If adopted, it will come into force on the first day of the month following its publication and remain in force as a temporary measure until the end of martial law or the state of emergency.
22nd May 2023 - Asia, Bangladesh |
Bangladesh: Hossain Ali Khondoker, co-ordinator of the National Tobacco Control Cell (NTCC), told press that the government is currently working on amending Act No. 11/2005 on Smoking and Tobacco Products Usage (Tobacco Control Act) in order to ban electronic nicotine delivery systems. Khondoker warned against e-cigarettes, and said that the harm-reduction approach is a misleading concept that misguides youths. E-cigarettes are not defined as a tobacco product in the Tobacco Control Act, or in its amendments.
