Portugal May Expand No-Smoking Areas and Ban Online Sales of Vaping Products

The Portuguese government is considering a new bill that, if passed, will ban the online sale of e-cigarette products.

According to a report by Vapor Voice, the Portuguese government is currently contemplating a new law aimed at regulating the use of e-cigarettes and other tobacco products. This new bill will include the latest delegated regulations of the EU Tobacco Products Directive, which encompasses provisions for heated tobacco products and e-cigarettes.

The bill, known as Draft Law No. 88/XV, primarily aims to expand the scope of no-smoking areas, including restrictions on the use of e-cigarette products. This would effectively prohibit the use of e-cigarettes in outdoor venues such as bar and restaurant terraces, and limit their sale by banning online sales of e-cigarette products.

Alberto Gómez Hernández, community manager of the World Vaping Alliance, stated that these new regulations represent a regression in adopting an "open and evidence-based approach" to promote alternative nicotine products. He believes that Portugal should emulate the successes of countries like the UK and Sweden, which encourage smokers to switch to safer nicotine products, rather than making it harder for smokers to access these products. He also pointed out that banning online sales of e-cigarette products may force those who cannot find alternative nicotine product sales points nearby to continue smoking.