Do countries around the world recognize the e-cigarette industry? What policies and regulations appl

1. Countries that recognize and allow the development of the e-cigarette industry

Germany - Allowed. Import, sale, and use are permitted. The highest courts in two states ruled that e-cigarettes and refillable e-liquids are not classified as drugs under the "Medicinal Products Act" or "Medical Devices Act." Germany is one of the countries with the most lenient regulations on e-cigarettes, with no special taxes on vaping products and only minor restrictions on advertising.

Costa Rica - Allowed. Import, sale, and use are permitted and regulated as tobacco products. All transactions must verify age (only for adults over 18). Advertising is not allowed. Use in public places is restricted.

Czech Republic - Allowed. Import, sale, and use of e-cigarettes are unrestricted.

Estonia - Allowed.

European Union - Allowed. Import, sale, use, and advertising are permitted.

Indonesia - Allowed. The Indonesian government announced that starting in the summer of 2018, it would impose taxes of up to 57% on non-tobacco alternatives, including e-cigarettes.

Israel - Allowed. Import and sale are permitted.

Italy - Allowed. Import, sale, and use are unrestricted. Sales of e-cigarettes are prohibited for those under 18 (only applies to nicotine-containing e-liquids).

Ireland - Allowed. Import, sale, and use are permitted.

South Korea - Allowed. Here, e-cigarettes are considered tobacco products and are subject to tobacco control legislation. Taxes are high, and reports indicate that the retail price of e-cigarettes in South Korea is among the highest in the world. HNB products are very popular.

Latvia - Allowed. E-cigarettes can be sold to individuals over 18.

Malta - Allowed. Considered tobacco products, sale and use are permitted, but e-cigarettes fall under the "Tobacco Law". They cannot be advertised, cannot be used in enclosed public spaces, and can only be used by adults over 18.

The Netherlands - Allowed. Import, sale, and use are permitted. The government attempted a complete ban, but this was legally overturned: The Gravenhage court in the Netherlands legalized the import and sale of e-cigarettes and nicotine-containing e-liquids in a civil court case.

Poland - Allowed. Import, sale, and use are permitted.

Russia - Allowed. Import, sale, and use are permitted.

Tajikistan - Allowed. The sale and use of e-cigarettes are currently unrestricted.

Ukraine - Allowed, but with restrictions.

United Kingdom - Allowed. Import, sale, advertising, and use are permitted. There are some restrictions on advertising. As far as we know, the UK is currently the only country in the world with comprehensive and effective regulation of e-cigarettes. The maximum nicotine content allowed in e-liquids in the UK is 20 mg/ml, and bottles containing more than 10 ml of liquid must be child-proof and tamper-proof. The capacity of sold atomizers cannot exceed 2 ml.

United States - Allowed. Import, sale, advertising, and use are permitted. The FDA has strengthened regulations on e-cigarette sales this year to control youth vaping issues and has required e-cigarette manufacturers to remove flavored e-cigarettes from physical stores.

Armenia - Allowed. The sale of e-cigarettes and e-liquids containing and not containing nicotine is unregulated. In 2018, Philip Morris International (PMI) began selling its revolutionary smoke-free product IQOS in Armenia.

Bosnia and Herzegovina - Allowed. Nicotine-containing pods are not classified as tobacco products, so their sale is unregulated.

Bulgaria - Allowed. The sale and use of e-cigarettes and nicotine-containing pods are legal.

Romania - Allowed. The sale and use of e-cigarettes are legal.

Sweden - Allowed. Selling e-cigarettes is legal for anyone, but selling nicotine liquids to minors under 18 is illegal.

Switzerland - Allowed. In 2018, local companies in Switzerland successfully challenged the illegality of nicotine liquids in federal court, immediately lifting the ban and allowing nationwide sales of nicotine liquids, following the same laws as neighboring Liechtenstein.

New Zealand - Allowed. E-cigarettes have been legalized. Philip Morris International's new tobacco product, IQOS, which uses heated tobacco technology, has officially been legalized in New Zealand.

France - Allowed. E-cigarettes and nicotine liquids are considered consumer products regulated by general product safety regulations unless they meet the standards for medical licenses. Sales of e-cigarettes to individuals under 18, as well as the sale of nicotine-containing and non-nicotine pods, are prohibited.

2. Countries that do not recognize and prohibit the development of the e-cigarette industry

The following countries and regions generally prohibit the sale of e-cigarettes (other countries without information are not counted): Brunei, Austria, Argentina, Mexico, Ethiopia, Greece, Brazil, Panama, Gambia, Colombia, Antigua and Barbuda, Mauritius, Oman, Uruguay, Nicaragua, Uganda, Qatar, Venezuela, Singapore, Uruguay, Taiwan, Thailand, United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Bhutan, Cambodia, India, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Nepal, Qatar, Saudi Arabia.

Note: The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government is currently seeking legislation to comprehensively ban the import, production, and sale of e-cigarettes. The United Arab Emirates and Bahrain have already opened up.

3. Does the domestic market recognize e-cigarettes?

On November 1, 2019, the State Administration for Market Regulation and the State Tobacco Monopoly Administration jointly issued a notice titled "Notice on Further Protecting Minors from the Harm of E-Cigarettes," stating that they will urge e-cigarette manufacturers and sellers to promptly shut down e-cigarette online sales websites or apps; urge e-commerce platforms to close e-cigarette stores and promptly remove e-cigarette products; and urge e-cigarette manufacturers and sellers to withdraw e-cigarette advertisements published online.

It can be understood that e-cigarettes have not been banned for sale by the state, and selling e-cigarettes is also legal. To protect the physical and mental health of minors and prevent them from learning about e-cigarette advertisements through online channels and successfully purchasing e-cigarettes, major e-cigarette brands have voluntarily closed their online purchasing channels.

4. Predictions for the trend of e-cigarette regulation in the domestic market

As the national level has not yet included e-cigarettes in the existing tobacco product regulatory framework, the production and circulation of e-cigarettes are currently still largely in a regulatory gray area. The "Notice" has somewhat filled the regulatory gap regarding online sales and advertising of e-cigarettes, but its implementation effectiveness remains to be observed.

The risks brought by the regulatory gap are not only reflected in the health risks associated with using e-cigarettes but also in the product quality risks arising from a mixed e-cigarette market.

As the largest producer and exporter of e-cigarettes, the national level should expedite the legislative work on e-cigarettes and quickly introduce relevant laws and regulations for comprehensive and effective regulation of e-cigarettes, or introduce special legislation for e-cigarettes to eliminate the current state of regulatory ambiguity.

It is expected that national standards for e-cigarettes will be introduced soon, and the inclusion of e-cigarettes in a strict regulatory system for tobacco products is also an inevitable trend.

All market entities related to e-cigarettes, including manufacturers and sellers, should closely monitor the regulatory situation of the e-cigarette industry and take timely and effective measures to avoid dual risks in business and legal compliance.