Seychelles Set to Legalize Vaping Products

According to health officials from the African island nation, Seychelles is set to legalize vaping products, with new legislation expected to be approved by the cabinet soon.<\/span><\/p>

Since the United Arab Emirates announced the legalization of e-cigarette products in February, Seychelles will become the second country to recently announce the lifting of the ban on vaping products after months of discussions among health officials.<\/span><\/p>

According to Seychelles News Agency, the new law will define e-cigarettes as legal tobacco products and regulate their sale, manufacture, and use. Seychelles health officials are quite proactive about the idea that "e-cigarettes could serve as harm reduction alternatives for smokers."<\/span><\/p>

Currently, Seychelles law prohibits the sale, manufacture, and import of "tobacco-like" products, which also includes e-cigarettes. (By the way, Seychelles is not the only country with such peculiar tobacco regulations. Mexico and several other countries also prohibit similar tobacco products.)<\/span><\/p>

According to a tobacco map survey, in 2015, nearly 34% of men and over 6% of women over 15 in Seychelles smoked. Recognizing e-cigarettes as a potential solution to the "tobacco harm problem" is not common in African countries, as these nations are often influenced by the World Health Organization, which has a clear opposition to e-cigarettes and has long provided funding assistance to African countries.<\/span><\/p>

With the involvement of tobacco retailers and distributors, the new legislation will require e-cigarette products to obtain seller licenses. According to Seychelles News Agency, although the regulations are still in the drafting stage, tobacco shops in Seychelles are already planning to import e-cigarette products from South Africa.<\/span><\/p>