Korea’s 17 youth protection groups submit 34,000 signatures calling for parliamentary legislation on synthetic nicotine
According to N.EWS reported on December 26, 17 youth protection groups in South Korea held a joint press conference and submitted a statement containing more than 34,000 signatures to the National Assembly, calling for strict regulation of synthetic nicotine e-cigarettes.
It is reported that since 2020, various tobacco bills have been proposed to the South Korean National Assembly, but the specific legislation has not yet been enacted. As of November 26, a total of 11 amendments have been submitted by lawmakers from various parties.
On Dec. 27, South Korea’s National Assembly is scheduled to hold a hearing on solutions to include synthetic nicotine in tobacco products. Stakeholders from government, academia, and industry will participate in discussions to facilitate the speedy passage of the relevant laws.
Happiness Education, one of the coalition groups, stressed that protecting young people is the primary responsibility of society and that laws should be passed as soon as possible to prevent more young people from being victimized.
South Korea’s Tobacco Business Act hearing may go ahead as scheduled
According to N.NIEws reported on December 24, despite earlier news that public hearings related to the promulgation of emergency martial law will be postponed indefinitely, South Korea’s tobacco business Law hearing will still go ahead as planned.
It is reported that the hearing will focus on the regulation and taxation of synthetic nicotine products, and the outcome of this discussion may have an important impact on the passage of future bills.
According to industry sources on Monday, the public hearing will be held at 9:30 a.m. on Thursday under the auspices of the Planning and Finance Committee of the National Assembly. The meeting focused on regulatory and tax options that would treat synthetic nicotine e-cigarettes the same as regular tobacco. Earlier, the bill was reviewed by the Economic and Financial Panel of the Planning and Finance Committee on November 27, but no conclusion was reached. If the amendment is passed after discussion at this public hearing, synthetic nicotine e-cigarettes will be subject to the same regulations and taxes as regular cigarettes.
However, retailers selling synthetic nicotine e-cigarettes are concerned about the negative impact on their livelihoods, while consumers who use synthetic nicotine products for smoking cessation AIDS believe the move limits choice.
An industry official said,
- “Despite the ongoing debate over the regulation of synthetic nicotine, the consensus on the need for new regulations is growing as the dangers of synthetic nicotine become apparent, with various groups, including youth groups, highlighting the urgency of new regulations.”
