Worldwide, countries are banning or restricting vapes because of concerns about the lack of regulatory control. Vaping has become popular among youth, but comes with an environmental impact, experts said.
The list of countries to introduce legislation that bans vaping is growing.
The countries with strict anti-vaping regulations include:
- Singapore
- Cambodia
- Gambia
- Nicaragua
- Turkmenistan
- Vatican City
- Uruguay
- Qatar
Australia recently passed legislation that would ban single-use, disposable vapes and require a prescription for nicotine vaping. Starting July 1, flavored e-cigarettes and e-liquid refills will be banned in the Netherlands. Brazil and Argentina banned all vaping to include the sale, production, import, and advertising of e-cigarettes. And, in the United States, the FDA banned JUUL vaping and e-cigarette products “after finding the company specifically targeted young people with their fruit-flavored pods and marketing tactics,” Causes.com reported.
While the long-term health effects of vapes and e-cigarettes are still under research, reports have associated vaping with hard-metal lung disease and chemical burns in lung tissue, Causes.com reported. The electronic waste from rechargeable lithium-ion batteries, plastic, and toxic metals contribute to the environmental impact.
Many experts are in favor of the bans and advocate for more countries to follow, while those arguments against a vape ban believe vaping is safer than cigarettes and gives adults trying to quit an alternative.
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