The past week has seen a flurry of legislative activity concerning vaping and tobacco products worldwide. From proposed bans on vapes to new regulations on product packaging, policymakers are cracking down on vaping. This blog post summarizes the key developments that could significantly impact vapers in multiple countries. Let’s review the most important stories shaping the regulatory landscape for vaping and tobacco harm reduction.

Bulgaria: Health Committee Chair tables Bill seeking total ban on sale of all vaping products (7 February)

The Chair of the Bulgarian Parliamentary Health Committee, Kostadin Angelov, has tabled a Bill that would ban sales of all vaping products in the country. The ban is intended to impact both reusable and disposable products, and all products whether or not they contain nicotine. The ban would cover their “import, trade, sale, supply, and distribution in retail outlets or online.” The Bill has reportedly received support from Minister of Labor and Social Policy Borislav Gutsanov, as well as GERB leader and former Prime Minister Boyko Borisov. The text has been referred to relevant committees for examination. Separately, Deputies from the centrist opposition PP-DB coalition, have tabled a Private Member’s Bill introducing a new definition for synthetic nicotine products and banning their sale. The Bill has yet to be referred to the committee for examination.

Lithuania: Health Committee chair tables Bill to ban disposable vaping products (10 February)

Lina Šukytė-Korsakė, the Chairwoman of the Seimas (unicameral parliament) Health Committee and a member of the Dawn of Nemunas Party (part of the governing coalition), has tabled a Private Member’s Bill that would ban “the placing on the market of disposable electronic cigarettes” from 1 November 2025. The Ministry of Health has previously said that it is not considering a ban on the sale of disposable vapes, adding that “any new control measures require an assessment of their effectiveness, impact, and potential risks, as well as thorough discussions” (LRT).

France: National Assembly approves Bill banning disposable vaping products (4 February)

The French National Assembly (lower house) has unanimously adopted a Bill which would ban the manufacture, marketing, distribution, and supply of disposable vaping products in the country. The Bill is expected to be examined by the Senate (upper house) during the this week of February.

UK: Opposition party MP seeks to amend Tobacco and Vapes Bill to include ban on plastic cigarette filters (7 February)

A Conservative Member of the House of Commons, Dame Caroline Dinenage, has tabled an Änderung to the UK Government’s Tobacco and Vapes Bill that would “ban the supply of plastic cigarette filters”. In addition, a series of amendments have been tabled by Members for the Democratic Unionist Party and Conservative Party which would remove the generational sales ban (GSB) from the Bill and replace it with a provision to raise the age of sale to 21. A previous opposition amendment to replace the GSB with an age of sale of 25 was defeated at the Committee stage. All amendments will be considered at the Report stage in the House of Commons, a date for which has yet to be announced.

Nepal: Health Ministry Directive requires graphic warnings to cover 100% of all tobacco product packaging (6 February)

The Nepalese Ministry of Health and Population has published a Directive (secondary legislation) requiring graphic health warnings on all tobacco products covering 100% of the front and back of the package, an increase from the 90% previously required. The Directive will reportedly come into force 180 days after it was approved; media sources have reported that it would come into force on 17 August 2025.

Hong Kong Bill including bans on flavoured cigarettes and on the possession of vapes to be tabled in April (9 February)

Hong Kong’s Health Secretary Lo Chung-mau has said that a Bill covering ten tobacco control measures with different implementation timelines will be presented to the Legislative Council (unicameral Parliament) in April. The measures include a ban on non-menthol-flavoured cigarettes starting as early as next year, with a ban on menthol cigarettes to come at a later, unspecified date. A complete ban on the possession of vaping products in public, to be implemented by mid-2026, is also said to be included in the Bill. The Government announced the package of measures in June last year – beyond the aforementioned, they also included the implementation of “full tobacco hazard warning packaging” and standardised packaging.

South Korea: Subcommittee declines to support regulating synthetic nicotine, pending further debate (10 February)

A subcommittee of the South Korean National Assembly Planning and Finance Committee has declined to approve a Bill expanding the definition of tobacco in the Tobacco Business Act to include synthetic nicotine products. Specifically, the Economic and Financial Subcommittee members are said to have questioned the results of an (unpublished) Korean Ministry of Health and Welfare study which reportedly claimed that both tobacco and synthetic nicotine extracts were carcinogenic and had reproductive toxicity. The subcommittee has indicated it will hold further discussions on the Bill; a date is yet to be set.

South Korea: Health Ministry consults on ingredient disclosure requirements (6 February)

The South Korean Ministry of Health has opened a consultation on draft Regulations and a draft Decree that would further implement the Tobacco Harmful Ingredients Disclosure Act to require that manufacturers and importers of all tobacco and nicotine products disclose the products’ ingredients to the Ministry of Health from 2026. A policymaking committee will reportedly decide the extent of disclosure and specific means of disclosure. The consultation will run until 18 March, with the Act due to enter into force on 1 November 2025.

US – Federal: FDA proposed rule to limit nicotine in cigarettes moved to long-term actions (10 February)

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA)’s Proposed Rule to limit the maximum nicotine content in combustible tobacco products will be officially moved to a list of FDA “long-term actions” in accordance with a notice to be published in the Official Register on 12 February. This means that the rule will no longer be considered a priority for action. The document also confirms that the Tobacco Product Standard for Menthol in Cigarettes has been moved to long-term actions.

US – New York: Bill tabled defining nicotine analogues, banning flavoured nicotine analogue products (5 February)

A Democratic member of the New York State Assembly (lower house) has tabled a Private Member’s Bill that would define a “nicotine analogue” as a substance, “the chemical structure of which is substantially similar to the chemical structure of nicotine… or which has… an effect on the central nervous system that is similar to or greater than that… of nicotine”. The Bill would additionally ban the sale of “flavoured nicotine analogue products”. Having now been referred to the State Assembly’s Ways and Means Committee, the Bill will subsequently require approval from the Assembly plenary, Senate (upper house) and Governor to come into force.