Author: moonswamp

The State Duma, Russia's lower house of parliament, has approved a bill in its first reading that aims to completely ban the sale of vapes and cigarettes via the internet. Although a ban is already in place, loopholes in the current legislation have allowed sales to continue through social networks, instant messaging platforms, and certain websites. According to the Duma, these online channels have become major distributors of illegal and often counterfeit nicotine products, making them accessible even to minors. The new bill seeks to close these loopholes by introducing extra-judicial blocking of websites and channels that violate the ban.…

The Tobacco Control Research Group (TCRG) has published a new paper that sheds light on how the tobacco and nicotine industries responded to the UK's Tobacco and Vapes Bill during the 2023/24 policymaking process. The researchers analyzed 43 documents from 33 organizations and individuals, with a significant portion originating from transnational tobacco companies (TTCs) or organizations with current or historic ties to TTCs. This groundbreaking research is the first to examine the industries' reaction to the bill, which, if implemented, would make the UK the first country to introduce a generational sales ban on tobacco products and impose strict regulations…

The Egyptian Ministry of Finance has announced an increase in the price of tax stamps on imported alcoholic beverages and local and imported cigarette and tobacco products, set to take effect on Tuesday, March 25, 2025. According to Ibrahim Embaby, Head of the Tobacco Division, the banderole price on alcoholic beverages will rise by 25 piastres, from 75 piastres to 1 pound. The banderole price on local and imported cigarette and tobacco products will increase by 5 piastres, from 15 piastres to 20 piastres per stamp. Despite the tax stamp price hike, Embaby confirmed that the prices of cigarettes and…

Belgium is set to implement new tobacco sale regulations on April 1, 2025, which will prohibit the display of all tobacco products, including cigarettes, cigars, and e-cigarettes, in stores across the country. The move is part of Belgium's tobacco plan, a series of measures launched in 2022 that aims to create a smoke-free generation by 2040. According to FPS Public Health, sellers who violate the new regulations risk penalties ranging from one month to one year in prison and fines between €2,000 and €800,000. While these penalties may seem severe, FPS Public Health has clarified that they are primarily intended…

Poland is taking a bold step towards protecting its youth and environment from the harmful effects of disposable electronic cigarettes. The Polish Ministry of Health has introduced bill UD213, which calls for a complete ban on the sale of these devices. The bill is expected to be adopted in the third quarter of 2025. The move comes in response to the alarming 400% increase in registered e-cigarettes from 2018 to 2023, as reported by the Bureau for Chemical Substances. Disposable vapes have become particularly popular among young people due to their ease of use, discreet nature, and appealing flavors. However,…

As of October 1, 2023, the Netherlands implemented a ban on all e-liquid flavors except tobacco, along with strict limitations on the ingredients used in the production of the sole permitted flavor. The government justified these measures as part of its goal to reduce the country's smoking population to less than 5% by 2040. A year after the ban's implementation, the Rijksinstituut voor Volksgezondheid en Milieu (RIVM), the Dutch national institute for public health and the environment, has released preliminary results from a survey of approximately 1,000 vapers, including adolescents, young adults, and adults. The findings indicate that 40% of…

For the first time in nearly two decades, smoking rates in certain regions of England have increased, according to a recent study conducted by academics at University College London. The research, which examined smoking data for more than 350,000 adults in England over an 18-year period, found that while the overall proportion of adults who smoke cigarettes, pipes, cigars, or other forms of tobacco fell from 25.3% of the population in 2006 to 16.5% in 2024, progress since 2020 has stagnated, and in some areas, smoking rates are on the rise once again. The study, published in the journal Addiction,…

The Colombian Congress is currently advancing a new bill that seeks to increase taxes on conventional cigarette packs by $8,400 over a two-year period and create a new tax on electronic cigarettes. The move comes as part of an effort to reduce consumption and protect public health, particularly among young people and children. Colombia currently has one of the lowest prices for both conventional and electronic cigarettes, according to the Anáas and Proeza Foundations. This low cost has made these products more accessible, even to minors. Representative Carolina Giraldo Botero pointed out that "vapes are still placed next to chewing…

The Dutch Ministry of Health is taking a significant step towards creating a smoke-free future by proposing to raise the legal age for buying cigarettes and vapes from 18 to 21. This move comes as a response to the alarming statistic that nearly a quarter of Dutch children aged 12 to 16 have already experimented with vaping. The proposed changes go beyond simply increasing the legal purchasing age. The government also plans to impose stricter regulations on the online sale of vapes and e-cigarettes, as well as prohibit the sale of accessories and packaging that make these products more appealing…

Tobacco use remains a significant public health challenge in Europe, with smoking being the leading cause of premature death among European Union countries. To gain a better understanding of this complex issue, let's take a closer look at the rates of tobacco use across various European nations and explore some of the factors that may contribute to these patterns. Visualizing Tobacco Use Rates in Europe The table below offers a helpful starting point for our exploration. It visualizes the percentage of each European country's population aged 15 and older who use tobacco products, using data from the World Health Organization…