Taiwan Considers 100% Ban On Vaping

Could vaping be banned in its entirety in Taiwan?

According to Taiwan News, the executive branch of Taiwan’s government, which is known as the Executive Yuan, is currently contemplating whether or not to make an amendment to the currently in place Tobacco Hazard Prevention Act with the goal of completely eradicating vaporizing from the country.

Currently, there are dozens of companies in the country operating in the vape sector. All of these companies, were the ban to go into effect, would be gone.

The amendment currently under consideration by the administration entails a complete ban on manufacturing, importing, selling, and even advertising electronic cigarettes in the country. In other words, goodbye vapes.

While the Taiwan Vaping Association is reportedly arguing that e-cigs are safer than traditional cigarettes, lawmakers in the country have cited a survey conducted by the country’s Health Promotion Administration in the Ministry of Health and Welfare that has shown rapidly rising vape use among the country’s youth. Which, by their measure, could have a negative impact on the country’s younger generation, resulting in higher rates of smoking and increased nicotine dependency.

As of present, all products containing nicotine, which is derived from tobacco, are regulated by the country’s Pharmaceutical Affairs Act (PAA). Subsequently, e-cigs and related vaping products containing nicotine fall under the regulations outlined in the PAA.

As for non-nicotine vaping products, there are currently no regulations in place as they do not fall under the PAA. However, under the proposed amendment described above, all vaping products, regardless of whether or not they contain nicotine, may be classified as illegal.

Meanwhile, in the United States, vaping products are finding themselves on the receiving end of new regulatory efforts. In some states, vaping in public indoor spaces has already banned. For manufacturers, there are now more federal hurdles to clear than ever to introduce new products to the U.S. market. Even towns and cities are introducing their own legislation in attempts to further regulate these products where state and federal governments have not. And in Australia, nicotine infused vaporizers and e-liquids remain banned by the country’s federal government. However, it’s certainly not the same in every region of the world.

In the United Kingdom, the government has gone as far as to recommend cigarette smokers try vaping in an attempt to help more smokers quit smoking.