LATEST ALERTSMexico: 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 trial available: Click on any alert below and access our regulatory alerts and get timely notifications sent to your inbox for 7 days.
Sign Up
Access our regulatory alerts and get timely notifications sent to your inbox for 7 days
Your display name will appear here.
Please enter a username.
Ireland: The Health Service Executive (HSE) has issued an alert against certain disposable products. The alert recalls disposable e-cigarettes from the Aroma King brand that are non-compliant with EU tobacco legislation. The list of the products recalled can be found on the HSE's website. The products were found to contain more than the permitted amount of nicotine (20 mg/ml or 2%).
US - California: The Scotts Valley City Council passed an ordinance on Wednesday 18th May with a favourable vote of 5-0, local media reports. The ordinance would ban the sale of flavoured tobacco products in the city, and also prohibit smoking or vaping in any designated seating areas of restaurants or outdoor eating establishments. We see yet another locality enact a flavour ban, while the referendum at state level to enact the state-wide flavour ban is still pending. Scotts Valley City is within the Santa Cruz county and has a population of around 12,000.
20th May 2022 - Australasia, New Zealand |
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.
20th May 2022 - Europe, Netherlands |
Netherlands: The Ministry of Health, Wellbeing and Sports recently told ECigIntelligence that legislation prohibiting e-cigarette flavours is currently being prepared. The ministry also noted that the publication of this legislation for internet consultation is anticipated for this summer, and it is then expected to come into effect in early 2023. The ministry wants to allow 23 flavours for e-cigarettes that taste like tobacco. The National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM) has investigated whether these 23 flavourings are harmful to health and the research showed that seven could have harmful health effects, so the RIVM is proposing to ban them. According to the RIVM, there is not enough information for the other 16 flavourings to assess the health effects. It has suggested two options: either those 16 substances could also be banned, or they will be allowed because they would help smokers to quit smoking.
19th May 2022 - Europe |
EU: On behalf of the European Commission (EC), Stella Kyriakides, commissioner for health and food safety, answered a parliamentary question – submitted by Sara Skyttedal – on the role of new nicotine products in reducing cigarette consumption and on snus’ legal status. The commissioner said that the EC is determined to follow up on the most robust scientific evidence in establishing a regulatory approach fully reflecting the objectives of Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan. She said that the Scientific Committee on Health, Environmental and Emerging Risks (SCHEER)’s scientific opinion on e-cigarettes found supporting evidence for the harmful consequences of e-cig consumption and weak evidence for their effectiveness in helping smokers to quit. She also added that smokeless and emerging tobacco and related products containing nicotine prolong nicotine addiction and that the Commission does not envisage any change to snus status.
19th May 2022 - North America, United States |
US - Federal: The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued several new warning letters to manufacturers and distributors of e-liquid products that are "new tobacco products" without the required FDA marketing authorisation to remain in the market.
19th May 2022 - Europe |
EU: The EU Commission regularly reviews the list of hazardous substances restricted in electrical and electronic equipment. Following a technical assessment, an EU initiative "proposes adding tetrabromobisphenol A (TBBP-A) and medium-chain chlorinated paraffins (MCCPs)"– which are used as flame retardants in electronic devices – "to the list of restricted substances", following feedback on the draft act recently published. The Commission expects to publish a final proposal in Q4 2022.
19th May 2022 - Africa, South Africa |
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.
18th May 2022 - Europe |
EU: This morning, the Directorate-General for Taxation and Customs Union (DG TAXUD) of the European Commission held a stakeholder event on tobacco taxation to receive feedback on the upcoming impact assessment for the review of the Tobacco Excise Directive (TED). Officers stated that the Commission will adopt a proposal in “the first part of Q4 2022” and the impact assessment will be presented “soon”. In addition, they reiterated that the revision is triggered by the “the emergence of new products, such as e-cigarettes, heated tobacco products and new addictive products that reveal the limits of the current legal framework”, as well as the EU’s market fragmentation, illicit trade and low cigarette taxes. Officers also stated that the review intends to be guided by the need to preserve the integrity of the internal market and citizens' health.
US - California: The San Diego Council passed an ordinance (the SAAFE Act) yesterday, which will ban the sale of all flavoured tobacco products (including menthol) in the city starting 1st January 2023, local media reports. The ordinance does not apply to the sale of shisha, premium cigars or loose-leaf tobacco and unflavoured or tobacco-flavoured e-cigarettes. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved cessation devices will also be exempt from the ban.
US - California: Assembly Bill (AB) 1690 has been ordered to the inactive file, meaning that the bill is ready to be heard on the floor but for some reason is dormant; an author of the bill may move it off the inactive file at a later date. AB 1690 would prohibit a person or entity from selling, giving, or furnishing to another person of any age in this state a cigarette utilising a single-use filter made of any material, a single-use plastic device meant to facilitate manual manipulation or filtration of a cigar, a single-use e-cigarette, or a single-use integrated cannabis vaporiser.
Spain: ECigIntelligence has been given access to the draft bill on the tobacco market that the Council of Ministers approved last week. In this draft, the government proposes that e-cigarettes will be sold only at tobacco shops in five years. The draft will be subject to parliamentary scrutiny in the following months. If the draft is eventually approved, retail shops that want to continue selling e-cigarettes in the next five years will have to notify the Commissioner for the Tobacco Market within six months after the bill enters into force.
17th May 2022 - Europe, United Kingdom |
UK: The UK Vaping Industry Association (UKVIA) has called for more control over e-cigarette sales in order to clamp down on selling to under-age consumers. According to UKVIA, retail licences should be required, a fine for selling to under-18s raised to £10,000, and enforcement increased. The call comes following reports of under-age sales of disposable vape products in Scotland.
US - Rhode Island: Senate Bill 2117, which would provide for penalties for selling flavoured electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS) or for operating without a dealer’s licence, is scheduled to be heard tomorrow, 17th May, in the Senate Judiciary Committee.
16th May 2022 - Europe |
EU: The Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation, a legislative EU development aimed at changing the way products are designed and manufactured, is entering a decisive phase known as the trialogue. In this phase, the EU Council will start negotiations among the 27 member states’ ministers of industry, as well as the EU parliament and European Commission. Environmental organisations, however, are demanding that the negotiations be carried out by ministers of the environment instead, saying that otherwise “the primary environmental goal of the regulation will not be properly prioritised”. These regulations will likely affect all electronic devices and will focus on “product durability, reusability, upgradability and reparability” as well as requirements such as a digital product passport, bans on certain substances, and a requirement to use a proportion of recycled materials.
16th May 2022 - Europe |
EU: The Directorate-General for Taxation and Customs Union (DG TAXUD) has scheduled a meeting, “Stakeholder event on tobacco taxation”, for 18th May to “give interested parties the opportunity to present their views on the latest developments in the area”. In addition, on 13th May the EU’s transparency portal updated its list of documents related to the Indirect Tax Expert Group (E00956), releasing the agenda of the meeting held on 4th May. ECigIntelligence is in the process of obtaining more information about what was discussed during the meeting.
16th May 2022 - Australasia, Australia |
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).
13th May 2022 - World |
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.
13th May 2022 - North America, United States |
US - reminder: 14th May is the deadline for submitting premarket tobacco product applications (PMTAs) for all synthetic nicotine products that were placed on the market on or before 14th April. Companies not planning to use the online portal and wanting to physically submit the PMTA should do so by today, 13th May, at 4pm.
Slovenia: Today, the minister of health officially presented via press conference the adopted Strategy for Reducing the Consequences of Tobacco Use - For Slovenia without Tobacco 2022–2030. As we previously reported, the policy paper calls for the urgent enactment of legislation that extends plain packaging to e-cigarettes, raises the minimum age for the purchase of e-cigarettes to 21, and bans flavoured vapour products, among others.
Spain: The Council of Ministers has approved the draft law on the tobacco market and related products. This regulation aims to fight the illicit trade of tobacco products and guarantee the safety of consumers. It aims to progressively equate e-cigarettes with conventional cigarettes and it states that within five years e-cigarettes will only be sold at tobacconists. The draft has not yet been made public.
13th May 2022 - North America, United States |
US - Federal: The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has authorised six new tobacco products through the premarket tobacco product application (PMTA) pathway. It issued marketing granted orders to R.J. Reynolds for the company’s Vuse Vibe and Vuse Ciro e-cigarette brands, including e-cigarette devices and tobacco-flavoured closed e-liquid pods. While the FDA determined the potential benefit to adult smokers who switch would outweigh the risk to youth, this authorisation imposes strict marketing restrictions on the company to greatly reduce the potential for youth exposure to tobacco advertising for these products. The FDA also issued the company with marketing denials for multiple other Vuse Vibe and Vuse Ciro e-cigarette products.
US - Colorado: The City of Boulder is preparing an ordinance that would exclude nicotine-free or tobacco-free products from the city's 40% sales tax on e-cigarettes, local media reports. “From my perspective as a tax administrator, the problem is we have a code that is causing confusion,” tax and special projects manager Joel Wagner said. “The language in the code that says that an electronic smoking device is something that simulates smoking of nicotine or any other substance opens that tax up to interpretation.”
Lithuania: The Seimas (Lithuanian parliament) has rejected a bill that aimed to postpone the entry into force of a flavour ban to 1st July 2023. Therefore, starting 1st July 2022, non-tobacco-flavoured vaping products will be prohibited on the market.
12th May 2022 - Europe, United Kingdom |
UK: Javed Khan, who has been tasked by the government to head an independent tobacco review, stated that he will present his recommendations to the government on 25th May 2022 at 3pm.
US - Colorado: House Bill 22-1064 failed to pass the Senate Appropriations Committee, which rejected it yesterday by a 5-2 vote, local media reports. The bill would have banned the sale of flavoured cigarettes, tobacco products, and nicotine products. The senators also explained the bill's failure by saying that the ban would just lead to tobacco and nicotine users buying flavoured products online or out of state, describing youth tobacco use as inevitable but improving.
11th May 2022 - Asia, Philippines |
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.
11th May 2022 - Australasia, New Zealand |
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.
10th May 2022 - Asia, Philippines |
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.
US - Colorado: House Bill 22-1064 has passed the Senate Committee on Finance after amendments and has been referred to the Senate Committee on Appropriations. This bill would prohibit the distribution of flavoured cigarettes, tobacco products, or nicotine products, and would amend the definition of cigarette, tobacco product, or nicotine product to include products containing synthetic nicotine.
Sweden: The Social Affairs Committee will discuss tomorrow the bill "Stricter rules for new nicotine products" (2021/22: 200), which proposes to ban non-tobacco-flavoured e-liquids and strengthen the restrictions on e-cigarette and refill container marketing and advertising. This bill was proposed by the government following a public consultation on the regulation of tobacco, e-cigarettes and tobacco-free nicotine products conducted between February 2020 and March 2021.
Belgium: Last week, the Chamber of Deputies approved a bill to ban smoking – including e-cigarettes – on station platforms, starting 1st January 2023.
US - California: The El Dorado County Office of Education recently hosted a student training day for the Tobacco-Use Prevention Education (TUPE) Program, which included students from El Dorado, Independence, Union Mine, and Black Oak Mine Unified School District, local media reports. The purpose of the TUPE Program is to reduce youth usage of tobacco products through tobacco-specific educational instruction and activities that build knowledge as well as social skills and youth development assets. Melissa Kistler, director of District and Program Support and TUPE liaison emphasised the fact that the “training is unique because it is the first time we have cross collaboration between school districts in this county”.
US-Connecticut: A flavour ban fails to win passage in Connecticut for the third year in a row, local media reports. The bill, which came out of the Public Health Committee in a divided vote in March, aimed to reduce youth vaping by prohibiting the sale of electronic nicotine delivery systems and vapour products that are flavoured or that have a nicotine content that is greater than 35 mg/ml. Senator John Fonfara, a co-chair of the Finance Committee, explained the bill's failure by saying that the ban would create a flourishing “underground” market for vaping products which would become even more attractive to minors.
9th May 2022 - Brazil, South America |
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.
Italy: On 31st May, the Center of Excellence for the acceleration of Harm Reduction (CoEHAR) will hold the first Italian conference on tobacco harm reduction, called "Risks and benefits of smokeless products". The aim of the conference is to analyse all published research in the field of tobacco harm reduction in order to produce a single document that can become an authoritative reference for the definition of effective public health policies to help smokers quit.
France: The National Agency for Food, Environmental, and Occupational Health Safety (ANSES) has published an updated list of notified e-cigarettes, which includes 78,167 products.
Georgia: Before 1st September 2022, the parliament is planning to amend the Law on Tobacco Control. It intends to introduce health warnings on packs and notification requirements for tobacco products, media reports. As nicotine-containing e-cigarette products and heated tobacco products fall under the definition of tobacco products in Georgia, we believe that such requirements would be applicable to them.
US - New Mexico: The New Mexico Department of Health has launched Live Vape Free, a text-based programme to help addicted teens stop using e-cigs. The programme is designed to help teens aged between 13 and 17 to quit e-cigarettes, and it provides adults with the tools they need to support teens as they quit. “New Mexico is one of only five states to launch both the youth and adult components of the program, out of the just 13 states using the Live Vape Free program,” local media reports.
Mongolia: Deputy finance minister Sanjaa Mungunchimeg has said a draft law to impose a tax on e-cigarettes is ready, press reports. She added that the bill would be submitted to Parliament and the government separately from the budget amendment that is currently under discussion.
Hong Kong: Hong Kong police have arrested two people for violating the ban on selling alternative smoking products. Officers seized 94 boxes of suspected nicotine-containing e-cigarette cartridges and 74 “smoking devices” during the operation in Mong Kok, press reports. They were reportedly the first arrests under the ban, which came into effect on Saturday.
US - Colorado: House Bill 22-1064 was approved by the state House yesterday and sent to the Senate for consideration, local media reports. The bill would prohibit the distribution of flavoured cigarettes, tobacco or nicotine products, including those containing synthetic nicotine. Since its introduction, the bill has been changed to exempt hookahs, premium cigars and pipe tobacco.
5th May 2022 - North America, United States |
US - Federal: New warning letters have been issued by the FDA Center for Tobacco Products (CTP) to a number of manufacturers and distributors of e-liquid products that are “new tobacco products” without the required marketing authorisation.
Sweden: The right-wing Sweden Democrats, the Centre Party and the Left Party have all presented motions against the government’s proposed Stricter rules for new nicotine products (Proposition 2021/22: 200), questioning the suggested ban on non-tobacco-flavoured e-liquids. The parties say banning flavours would make it harder for people to switch from smoking to a less harmful alternative and that a market study on the consequences of such a ban should be undertaken.
Sweden: The Public Health Agency has updated the publicly available list of notified e-cigarettes and refill containers, which contains 11,909 vapour products.
US - Hawaii: House Bill 1570 passed its final reading yesterday on a 36-15 vote. The bill to ban the sale of all flavoured tobacco products, including e-cigarettes, combustible menthol cigarettes and flavoured cigars, has now been passed by both chambers of the Legislature and requires only the signature of governor David Ige to become law.
US - Maryland: Anne Arundel Public Schools, one of the largest school districts in Maryland, is bringing a suit against Juul Labs, alleging its products are marketed to students and claiming gross negligence by the company, media reports. ”You’ve created this whole generation of young people who are now addicted to nicotine because it delivers four to five times the nicotine of a cigarette,” Anne Arundel Schools attorney Phil Federico said.
