Luchuan Strengthens E-cigarette Market Supervision: Focus on Clearing Stores Around Campuses

To seriously implement the "Drug Sweep Action" work requirements deployed by the county party committee and government, and to legally clear and rectify the sale of e-cigarettes to minors, severely crack down on illegal activities related to e-cigarettes, and comprehensively strengthen e-cigarette market supervision to effectively protect the healthy growth of minors, on the evening of May 22, under the unified command of Deputy County Head, County Public Security Bureau Director, and Deputy Director of the County Anti-Drug Committee Liang Jiang, the Luchuan County Public Security Bureau, in conjunction with the County Tobacco Monopoly Bureau, County Market Supervision Administration, County Education Bureau, and other functional departments, conducted a cleanup and inspection of e-cigarette specialty stores and shops around middle schools in the county urban area.

At each business location, the inspection team carefully checked for tobacco retail licenses and business licenses, thoroughly examined the e-cigarettes and cigarettes sold, and diligently verified whether the e-cigarettes contained prohibited ingredients or engaged in illegal sales activities. At the same time, the inspection team provided on-site education to sellers, emphasizing the safety hazards of e-cigarettes and their harm to minors' health, strictly prohibiting individuals from selling e-cigarettes to minors, and reminding business owners to report any drug-related issues to the public security authorities promptly.

According to statistics, this joint action inspected more than 20 shops around schools, one e-cigarette specialty store, confiscated 131 e-cigarettes, and over 40 boxes of cigarettes sold without a license. More than 20 personnel from the County Tobacco Monopoly Bureau, County Market Supervision Administration, County Education Bureau, County Public Security Bureau Anti-Drug Team, local police stations, and County Anti-Drug Office participated in the cleanup action.

In the next step, to effectively prevent minors from accessing e-cigarettes and fundamentally keep them away from e-cigarettes, especially “high-nicotine e-cigarettes,” the Luchuan County Public Security Agency will regularly conduct joint law enforcement with the County Tobacco Monopoly Bureau, County Market Supervision Administration, County Education Bureau, County Culture, Radio, Television and Tourism Bureau, County Economic and Technological Bureau, and other relevant functional departments to regularly carry out cleanup and rectification of e-cigarette sales to minors, severely crack down on illegal activities related to e-cigarettes, and strive to investigate a number of illegal activities selling e-cigarettes to minors. Additionally, taking the opportunity of “legal education entering campuses,” they will educate middle and primary school students about e-cigarettes, especially the dangers of “high-nicotine e-cigarettes,” enhancing the awareness and ability of young people to recognize and resist e-cigarettes, and enabling minors to consciously build a mental barrier against e-cigarettes.