The legislation also sets in place an age limit, prohibiting people who are under the age of 18, from using e-cigarettes and heated tobacco products. Any minors caught using the products will be forced to attend smoking cessation classes, or pay fines of between NT$2,000 and NT$10,000, and vaping and using heated tobacco products is to be banned in a 50m zone around schools. Businesses caught in violation of the rules will be paying similar fines.
Health Promotion Division Director Lin Meng-hui (林夢蕙) supports the council’s decision, but said the city has not drafted a timetable for implementing the ban. On a national level, the Ministry of Health and Welfare of Taiwan, had also proposed a draft amendment, to the Tobacco Hazards Prevention Act seeking to raise the legal tobacco age limit for from 18 to 20. The amendment would also introduce such restrictions on non-combustible tobacco products, such as vaping products.
2018 data: 4 out of 10 young vapers used flavoured products
National data from 2018 had indicated that approximately 4 out of 10 young vapers used flavoured products, with the flavours being more popular among girls. According to the Health Promotion Administration (HPA), last year a total of 81,000 teenagers reported started smoking by being lured to flavoured products first, as they are perceived as less harmful.
