E-cigarette use among young smokers pushes gov't to act on synthetic nicotine

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E-cigarette use among young smokers pushes gov't to act on synthetic nicotine

E-cigarettes displayed in a vending machine in Mapo District, western Seoul on May 9. [YONHAP]

E-cigarettes displayed in a vending machine in Mapo District, western Seoul on May 9. [YONHAP]

The government plans to amend tobacco-related laws to designate synthetic nicotine as a type of tobacco in order to regulate the product category, which is seeing growing popularity among young smokers, according to officials Wednesday.
 
The Ministry of Health and Welfare and the Ministry of Economy and Finance plan to push for a revision of the law to include synthetic nicotine in the definition of tobacco under the Tobacco Business Act, according to officials.
 
In Korea, tobacco-related laws are mandated under the National Health Promotion Act, under the jurisdiction of the Health Ministry, and the Tobacco Business Act governed by the Finance Ministry.
 
They stipulate a tobacco product is "what is manufactured in a state suitable for smoking, sucking, inhaling steam, chewing or smelling, by using tobacco leaves as all or any part of the raw materials."
 
According to such language, the liquid of the synthetic nicotine used in electronic cigarettes is not classified as tobacco. As such, synthetic nicotine is currently not subject to oversight measures, such as requiring warnings labels of potential health issues.
 
There are also currently no legal grounds for punishment for selling it to minors, and it is not subject to tobacco-related taxes.
 
The decision for the law revision comes amid British American Tobacco's recent announcement that it was considering launching a new synthetic nicotine product in the country. Korea is the only nation in the world where the global tobacco giant is considering launching a synthetic nicotine product.
 
"We have decided to push for the revision of the Tobacco Business Act when the 22nd National Assembly opens," an official at the Health Ministry said.
 
"We will provide necessary materials to the Finance Ministry, and there is already an abundance of evidence proving that synthetic nicotine is tobacco."
 
The proportion of electronic cigarettes within the overall domestic tobacco market has been on a constant increase, reaching 16.9 percent of the total sales in 2023.
 
Yonhap 
 
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