South Korean Parliament Delays Regulatory Bill on Synthetic Nicotine

Feb.12.2025

South Korean Parliament's committee delays regulation on synthetic nicotine e-cigarettes due to opposition from some members, impacting sales.

According to a report by N.News on February 12th, the South Korean National Assembly's Planning and Finance Committee's Economic and Financial Subcommittee once again postponed the handling of the amendment to the Tobacco Business Act regulating synthetic nicotine e-cigarettes due to opposition from some lawmakers.

During the meeting that day, some lawmakers led by Jung Tae-ho from the Together Democratic Party and Park Dae-chul from the People Power Party mentioned that the regulation of synthetic nicotine e-cigarettes could affect the livelihoods of around 4,000 synthetic nicotine sellers, and therefore opposed the immediate passage of the bill. Some lawmakers argued that the interests of sellers should not be prioritized over public health, but this viewpoint was not accepted. The committee decided to further discuss the bill after consulting with the Ministry of Finance on whether it would lead to price increases and impact sellers' opinions. The tobacco industry believes that with the schedule for further discussion uncertain, the passage of the law is now unlikely in this session of parliament.

Recently, there has been news that a synthetic nicotine e-cigarette company has launched a service allowing customers to order through a mobile app and receive instant delivery, indicating that these products have penetrated the online delivery market. A tobacco industry insider pointed out that further delaying the regulation of synthetic nicotine e-cigarettes will only further threaten public health and expand tax loopholes.

References:

[1] 쇼핑몰·자판기 파고든 ‘합성니코틴'… 국회는 업자 생존권 운운, 규제 외면[현장에서]

Also Read:

[1] Legislation on Synthetic Nicotine E-cigarettes Stalls in South Korea

[2] South Korean Parliament Urges Taxation and Regulation of E-cigarettes

#Legislation #Asia #South Korea #Synthetic nicotine e-cigarettes

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