In the news reported by Reuters, China’s tobacco regulation authority has decided to ban the online sale of e-cigarettes. This move has been taken amid the health concerns reverberating over in the U.S.
The notice comes not long after the U.S government launched a similar crackdown against online platforms and retailers to prevent public health from vaping’s effect.
This isn’t the first time the Chinese govt has denounced e-cigarettes, but it’s considerably or large scale. In the past, Juul’s e-cigarettes pulled out from shelves, but just a week after they became again available in China. China is aiming to implement this decision in order to protect minors from physical and mental health sufferings.
An e-cigarette is a battery-powered inhaler that converts liquid nicotine into a vapor that the user inhales. This type of cigarette carries no fire, no ash, and no smoky smell. Manufacturers and satisfied customers say that the e-cigarette is a healthier alternative to tobacco cigarettes, which cause millions of deaths every year. E-cigarettes do not carry all of the toxic chemicals united in smoking tobacco cigarettes.
This would be a severe setback to e-cigarette makers in China if it implemented. The nation comprises of 7.4 million e- smokers of its population. This decision would thwart both manufacturers and those online outlets that depend heavily on the sales of e-cigarettes. It might have detrimental effects on China’s economy as well. Tobacco is producing almost six percent of the nation’s tax revenue. In recent years Chinese startups have taken venture capital money by storm and launched many products with a similar design.
Several months ago, the New York state had also put a state ban on flavored electronic cigarettes and became a forerunner against its harmful effects on minors. Over the past year, Walmart, Walgreens, and other American retailers have pulled e-cigarettes from their shelves, following a public health scare over their impact on minors.
