Poland bans sales of e-cigarettes to minors; vaping in public areas is illegal

According to AFP, Poland has enacted a law that took effect on Thursday banning the sale of e-cigarettes to minors and prohibiting their use in public spaces where smoking is banned.

The new measures, passed by parliament in July, place e-cigarettes on a par with traditional tobacco products, making it illegal to sell them to anyone under 18 or to “vape” in any place where smoking is prohibited.

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

An estimated 1.5 million people in Poland, an EU country with a population of 38 million, use e-cigarettes. Annual sales in the sector are worth around 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 places.