To close loopholes in the current law, the South Korean government is pushing legislation to include synthetic nicotine vapes in the scope of tobacco product regulation and has proposed several bills.
South Korean government pushes legislation
According to The Korea Times reported on November 27. The South Korean government and lawmakers are trying to curb their use through legislation to include synthetic nicotine vapes in the scope of “tobacco products.”
On Wednesday, Park Sung-hoon, a lawmaker from the ruling National Power Party, said the report he obtained from the Health Ministry showed that synthetic nicotine could have various effects on users’ health.
Synthetic nicotine vapes to be included in tobacco regulation
Based on this result, to regulate synthetic nicotine vapes, the government is seeking to expand the legal definition of cigarettes. One study showed that these substances are as addictive as heroin or cocaine. Currently, South Korea’s cigarette law only defines tobacco products as goods made from the leaves of the cigarette plant. As a result, some companies are working on synthetic nicotine products.
Earlier, British American Tobacco (BAT) launched the synthetic nicotine vape “NOMAD SYNC 5000”. If current laws remain unchanged, the product will not be considered a “tobacco product” with multiple taxes and special charges.
In recent months, more than a dozen bills have been introduced in South Korea’s National Assembly to close legal loopholes, and legislative negotiations are expected to make progress in the coming weeks and months.
On Tuesday (26th), a prominent lawmaker from South Korea’s main opposition Democratic Party proposed to redefine tobacco products and try to bring synthetic nicotine vapes into the scope of regulation.
In addition to expanding the definition of legal cigarettes, prominent lawmakers are also trying to require sellers to put warnings on vape packaging like tobacco sellers do.
To more effectively control the use of new tobacco tar products. The Ministry of Health and Welfare has pledged to support such legislation and raise public awareness of their dangers.
