Huzhou Changxing Cracks First Zhejiang Case of Vape Sales to Minors

Everyone knows that smoking is harmful to health. In recent years, under the careful packaging and enticing advertisements from businesses, a large number of young people, even minors, have started to "play" with e-cigarettes. Recently, the Market Supervision Bureau of Changxing County, Huzhou City, investigated the first case in Zhejiang Province of selling e-cigarettes to minors based on the newly revised "Minor Protection Law."

On June 17 of this year, the Market Supervision Bureau of Changxing County received a tip-off that a certain e-cigarette specialty store in Changxing was selling e-cigarettes to middle school students. Immediately, our enforcement personnel went to the store for verification and conducted a joint investigation with the county tobacco bureau. After questioning the store owner, sales staff, and the students who purchased e-cigarettes, and reviewing the store's video surveillance and cash register records, it was found that this e-cigarette specialty store had failed to fulfill its verification obligations since June 2021, illegally selling one e-cigarette pod each to two middle school students from a local school. The actions of the parties involved are suspected of violating the relevant provisions of the "Minor Protection Law of the People's Republic of China," and the Market Supervision Bureau of Changxing County has filed a case for investigation.

In recent years, more and more e-cigarette companies have targeted young people as their customer base, taking advantage of their curiosity, openness to new things, and lack of clear understanding of products like e-cigarettes. In many cases, they perceive vaping as a "fashionable, cool, and competitive" behavior. Some businesses, in order to attract more young people and enhance the appeal of their products to minors, indiscriminately add various additives, altering the flavors and colors of e-cigarettes, which can seriously harm the physical and mental health of minors and create adverse social impacts.

The newly revised "Minor Protection Law" officially came into effect on June 1, 2021. This law stipulates that the prohibition of selling tobacco to minors (Article 59) includes regulations on e-cigarettes, marking the first time a national law explicitly prohibits the sale of e-cigarettes to minors. On June 18 of this year, the State Administration for Market Regulation and the State Tobacco Monopoly Administration jointly issued the "Special Action Plan for Protecting Minors from Tobacco Harm: 'Guarding Growth'". The plan emphasizes increasing the crackdown on illegal tobacco-related activities, focusing more on prevention, combining treatment and comprehensive governance, and effectively protecting the healthy growth of minors.

To curb the spread of e-cigarettes among minors, the Market Supervision Bureau of Changxing County, in conjunction with tobacco management departments, is comprehensively rectifying the e-cigarette market, emphasizing strengthened joint enforcement, and continuously increasing supervision of e-cigarette products, especially around schools and areas where minors gather. They will legally increase inspections of e-cigarette physical stores, strictly investigate the sale of e-cigarettes to minors and the publication of false illegal e-cigarette advertisements, and comprehensively check that e-cigarette physical stores fulfill their explicit commitments, implementing effective age verification measures to prevent minors from purchasing e-cigarettes, thereby effectively protecting minors from e-cigarette harm.

Tip

Currently, various e-cigarette products on the domestic market exhibit significant variability in terms of raw material selection, additive use, process design, and quality control. The quality of e-cigarette products is uneven, and some products may have safety hazards such as e-liquid leakage, substandard batteries, and added ingredients. Additionally, most e-cigarettes contain purified nicotine, which is a highly toxic chemical. Minors' respiratory systems are not fully developed, and inhaling such substances can adversely affect lung function. Improper use may also lead to nicotine poisoning and other safety risks.