Author: Emily Carter

Spain's Council of Ministers has approved a draft for a new anti-tobacco law that introduces significant new measures, including holding parents financially responsible for their children's vaping and banning single-use e-cigarettes. The legislation aims to intensify health protection for minors. Under the proposed law, if a minor is caught consuming tobacco or related products, including vapes, the resulting fine must be paid by their parents or legal guardians. For an isolated, first-time offense, this is considered a minor infraction with a fine of up to €100, though the draft law establishes a range of €100 to €600 for minor infractions.…

A new Texas law, Senate Bill 2024, has taken effect as of Monday, September 1st, implementing a sweeping ban on specific vape products across the state. The legislation prohibits businesses from selling any vapes that contain THC or other hemp-derived psychoactive substances like Delta-8. Additionally, the law bans the sale of any vape product made in China or any other nation deemed "adversarial to the United States," which experts say constitutes the overwhelming majority of devices currently in stores. Businesses that continue to market or sell these banned products face a Class A misdemeanor, punishable by up to a year…

The canton of Geneva, Switzerland, has banned the sale of disposable e-cigarettes, with the new law taking immediate effect. The Grand Council (cantonal parliament) passed the legislation almost unanimously on Friday, citing concerns over public health and the environment. Lawmakers condemned the products, also known as "vapes" or "puff bars," as a "disgrace" intended to appeal to young people with their attractive flavors and designs. They also denounced the "catastrophic impact" of these single-use devices on the environment. Disposable e-cigarettes have been available in Switzerland for about five years and are particularly popular with youth. Geneva joins several other Swiss…

Russia is taking a decisive step towards a potential nationwide ban on vaping, with the Nizhny Novgorod region set to become the first "test site" for a complete prohibition on the sale and use of vapes, e-cigarettes, and similar products. The initiative, proposed by Nizhny Novgorod Governor Gleb Nikitin, has reportedly received the support of President Vladimir Putin. Governor Nikitin argued that the ban is necessary to protect the younger generation from the allure of vaping. He cited the appeal of bright flavors and the false perception of safety as reasons why adolescents who have never smoked traditional cigarettes are…

As thousands of tourists, including many from the UK, prepare to visit the Spanish coastline for the summer season, a crucial warning has been issued regarding the use of electronic cigarettes (vapes) on beaches. While national law in Spain generally permits vaping in outdoor spaces, a growing number of local councils are independently expanding their "smoke-free" beach regulations to explicitly include vaping devices. Unsuspecting travelers who assume vaping is permitted everywhere could face significant fines, with some municipalities imposing penalties as high as €2,000 for violations. The key point of confusion for many visitors is the distinction between national law…

Brazil's National Consumer Secretariat (Senacon), under the Ministry of Justice and Public Security, has ordered all e-commerce platforms and social media sites to remove any advertisements and content related to the sale of electronic cigarettes (vapes) within 48 hours. Major platforms including YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, and Mercado Livre have been formally notified. The directive, issued last Tuesday (19th), emphasizes that Brazilian law prohibits not only the sale but also the advertising of these devices, also known as Electronic Smoking Devices (DEFs). The notified companies have ten business days to submit a detailed report on the measures they have taken, which…

Singapore is set to impose much more severe penalties for vape-related offenses, including potential prison sentences for serious violations, Prime Minister Lawrence Wong announced on Sunday (Aug 18, 2025). The government plans to treat the issue with the same gravity as drug offenses. "So far we have treated vaping like tobacco — at most we only give a fine, but that is no longer enough. We will treat this as a drug problem and impose much harsher penalties," Wong stated. While vaping is already illegal in Singapore, the move comes after health authorities discovered that one-third of seized illegal vapes…

Public health officials in Catalonia, a popular Spanish holiday region, are advocating for a comprehensive ban on smoking at all beaches to prevent the habit from being normalized among young people. This regional push comes as Spain's national government is already drafting legislation to significantly expand smoke-free and vape-free zones across the country. Esteve Fernandez, Catalonia's public health secretary, insisted, "It should not be expected for a child to think it is normal to smoke on the beach as if it were similar to swimming or playing with a ball." The city of Barcelona, the regional capital, already implemented a…

Russia has significantly toughened its stance on the illegal sale of e-cigarettes and vape liquids, with a new law taking effect on August 3rd that introduces criminal liability for the circulation of all unmarked nicotine-containing products. This measure extends penalties, previously focused on traditional tobacco, to include vapes, aiming to bring the burgeoning market out of the shadows and curb tax evasion. Under the new law, businesses face severe consequences for handling unmarked vape products with a value exceeding 100,000 rubles. Penalties can include fines up to 500,000 rubles, forced labor, or imprisonment for up to three years. Forging the…

Austria is planning a complete ban on disposable e-cigarettes, with the new regulation expected to take effect as early as 2026. State Secretary for Health Ulrike Königsberger-Ludwig announced the move, citing both public health and environmental concerns. "We have a real problem with these single-use e-cigarettes, that they are specifically aimed at young people, also because of the flavorings they contain," she stated. Königsberger-Ludwig also highlighted the "serious problem" of disposal, as the non-removable lithium-ion batteries in these devices pose a significant fire risk in waste management facilities when improperly discarded. The proposal has been welcomed by the Association of…