China Aims to Curb E-cigarette Sales to Minors
On August 28, 2018, the State Administration for Market Regulation and the State Tobacco Monopoly Bureau issued a circular essentially banning the sale of electronic cigarettes to minors in China.
In accordance with the relevant provisions of the law of the People’s Republic of China on the protection of minors, in order to strengthen the protection of the “physical and mental health of underage consumers”, all market entities are from now on discouraged from selling electronic cigarettes to minors.
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In order to further strengthen the protection of the physical and mental health of minors and prevent minors from purchasing and smoking electronic cigarettes through the Internet, from the date of the issuance of this circular, e-commerce platforms are urged to close their electronic cigarette stores and withdraw the e-cigarette advertisements published on the Internet.
However, in reality, hordes of minors still manage to buy electronic cigarettes online. But, according to Chinese media, the release of the government circular helped raise awareness among sellers.
The announcement comes in the wake of a series of deaths among patients with e-cigarette, or vaping, associated lung diseases.
