Macau Proposes Strict Ban on Electronic Cigarettes and Related Products

The legislature in Macau has proposed a ban on the manufacture, distribution, import and export, and transportation of tobacco products in the region in addition to its current smoking prevention law. The proposal was unanimously passed during a legislative debate. However, some members argued that the government should go further and implement a full ban. It was suggested that individuals caught violating the ban would face a fine of 4,000 Macau patacas (500 US dollars), while businesses could be fined between 20,000 and 200,000 Macau patacas.

In Macau, the sale of electronic cigarettes has been restricted since 2017. Alvis Lo, the director of the Health Bureau, stated that these measures aim to protect public health. "The use of electronic cigarettes is harmful to health, causing harmful effects on pregnant women, children, and adolescents, and exposing non-smokers to harmful chemicals such as nicotine," he said.

Although the government stated that this decision was based on "strong evidence showing that this type of tobacco product is harmful to health and may endanger people's safety," it emphasized that consumption has increased significantly, especially among young people. According to data released by the Director of the Macau Health Bureau in May, the number of people using e-cigarettes has "increased from 2.6% to 4%" since 2015.

On April 12th, the State Administration for Market Regulation of China released technical standards for electronic cigarette products. The standards are set to be implemented starting from October 1st. In a public statement, regulatory authorities listed the design, chemical composition, and mechanical requirements that domestic manufacturers must meet in order to sell their products. This marks a significant milestone for the Chinese electronic cigarette industry, which has been operating in a grey area for years.

A new law, set to take effect on May 1st, will ban 122 different flavors of electronic cigarettes offered by China's state tobacco monopoly, including various fruit and alcohol flavors. The regulation modifies the country's tobacco monopoly to include e-cigarettes and requires local businesses to register with the tobacco authority. Additionally, Chinese manufacturers must obtain additional licenses to prove they have sufficient production funding and adequate facilities and equipment that meet regulatory standards.

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