Poland bans e-cigarette sales to minors; vaping in public areas made illegal

According to AFP, Poland will ban the sale of e-cigarettes to minors and make their use in public spaces illegal under a law that takes effect on Thursday.

The new measures, passed by parliament in July, place e-cigarettes on the same footing as traditional tobacco products, making it illegal to sell them to anyone under 18 or to “vape” anywhere smoking is prohibited.

The new law also bans advertising for e-cigarettes, as well as their sale over the internet or through vending machines.

An estimated 1.5 million people use e-cigarettes in Poland, the EU country of 38 million people, and the sector generates annual sales worth about 115 million euros ($129 million).

The United States and several European countries, including Belgium, Luxembourg, Malta, Slovenia, and Lithuania, have already banned e-cigarettes in enclosed public spaces.