Why has Maldives become the latest country to ban vaping?

Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu has announced a ban on the use, import, and sale of vaping devices, effective from November 15.

The announcement on Tuesday comes after the Maldivian Medical Association and other groups sent a letter to the president voicing concern about the increase in non-communicable diseases in the Maldives due to the use of tobacco products, according to a local news agency.

Last year, the World Health Organization (WHO) urged governments across the globe to treat e-cigarettes, also known as vapes, as tobacco and ban all flavours, according to Reuters.

The report claimed that vapes are banned in 34 countries, including Brazil, India, Iran and Thailand. However, in most places, they are still available on the black market.

Seventy-four countries, mostly in Africa but also including Pakistan, Colombia and Mongolia, do not regulate vapes.

In countries like the US and China, governments allow vapes but regulate their use, according to the WHO report.

Countries such as South Korea, India, and Brazil have also instituted very strict vape rules. However, 88 countries have no minimum age for buying vapes, and 74 have no laws in place for e-cigarettes.

Here is how it compares:

CHINA

While China is the world’s largest producer of e-cigarettes/vapes, in 2021, the government introduced a set of laws controlling their domestic use, including banning flavoured products. However, many Chinese manufacturers continue to sell their products overseas. The Chinese government has cited health concerns related to youth vaping.

EU

The European Commission has set regulatory standards for e-cigarettes, including limits on nicotine content. Manufacturers must register with the government before selling.

In France, people under the age of 18 cannot buy vapes, and their use is banned in certain public places, including universities and on public transport.

Italy lifted a ban on using electronic cigarettes in public in 2013. Use in or near schools is still forbidden.

Disposable vapes have attracted particular attention from lawmakers in some EU countries amid environmental and health concerns. France has moved to ban them entirely.

The German Federal Council, the upper house of parliament, has called on the government to push for a similar ban on disposable vapes across the EU.

JAPAN

According to Japanese law, e-cigarettes containing nicotine count as medicinal products. None have been approved for use so far.

RUSSIA

While there are no restrictions on flavoured or disposable vapes, minors cannot buy vapes.

Türkiye

The sale of e-cigarettes is effectively banned in Türkiye since imports are allowed only in small quantities, and production is forbidden.

The UK

The United Kingdom has put vapes at the centre of its public health policy, even offering starter kits to smokers to help them quit. However, an influx of flavoured disposable vapes has driven concerns about the impact on the health of young people.

The government said at the end of January it would ban disposable vapes and introduce powers to regulate e-cigarette flavours and packaging, following a threefold rise in the number of children vaping in the past three years.

The United States

In America, e-cigarette manufacturers must obtain FDA approval to sell their products. While some are allowed on the market during the review, flavoured vapes (except tobacco) remain unapproved, though enforcement is lax, and many flavoured disposable vapes are still available in the market.

The FDA has banned certain flavours like mint and fruit. In 2022, the FDA reversed its ban on Juul, one of the largest e-cigarette companies.

Australia In Australia, e-cigarettes containing nicotine are generally available on prescription only for smokers who want to give up tobacco. Pharmacies do not sell disposable vapes.

New Zealand

The country brought in new rules in 2023, banning most disposable vapes and targeting flavours which appeal to children.