At a recent conference on "Smoking and Vaping Among Schoolchildren," Dariusz Poznański, director of the Polish Health Ministry's Department of Public Health, disclosed plans for a law targeting disposable electronic cigarettes, alongside efforts to implement the EU's June 29, 2022 directive aimed at novel tobacco products.
The upcoming legislation seeks to eliminate characteristic flavors in novel heated tobacco products, adhering strictly to EU guidelines.
Additionally, the draft law will empower the head of the Bureau of Chemical Substances to mandate further testing or information from manufacturers and importers of these products, facilitating a thorough assessment of their market impact and health implications.
A separate proposal under development focuses explicitly on an e-cigarette ban.
"We are working on this at the Ministry of Health, in cooperation with the Prime Minister's Office and the Ministry of Finance, to ensure the regulations are comprehensive," Poznański said.
The enforcement measures for illegal product distribution could include fines up to PLN 200,000 (EUR 46,350, USD 500) or criminal penalties.
The drive reflects a growing international consensus on the health risks of e-cigarettes, with countries such as France, Germany and Ireland considering similar bans due to protect underage users.
Last year, Poland saw the sale of around 100 million e-cigarettes, nearly 90 percent of which were imports from China, distributed without any prior testing.
(jh/gs)
Source: PAP, IAR