Top Takeaways:
- Bill would ban sale of e-cigarettes, vapes, and e-shisha to those under 18.
- Proposes fines up to Rs. 500,000 and restrictions near schools.
- Includes advertising, promotion, and public-use prohibitions.
Pakistan’s Senate has received a bill aimed at restricting access to e-cigarettes, vapes, and e-shisha, with penalties targeting both retailers and advertisers.
The measure, introduced by Senator Sarmad Ali, aims to ban the sale of next-generation nicotine products to anyone under 18 and prohibit their use in public places. It also includes restrictions on advertising, promotion, and sponsorship of vaping products.
Under the proposal, violators would face a fine of Rs. 50,000 (US$177) for the first offense and Rs. 100,000 for the second. Retailers selling within 50 meters of schools or educational institutions could be fined up to Rs. 200,000, while repeat offenders could face penalties of up to Rs. 500,000.
Health officials backing the measure say the rules are designed to prevent youth nicotine addiction and to address the growing availability of flavored vapes, media reports. “E-cigarettes and vapes are being marketed as safe alternatives, but the reality is they can cause severe health issues and long-term addiction,” said one health expert.
Medical researchers have warned that vaping devices often contain nicotine and toxic substances linked to lung damage and impaired adolescent brain development. Public health groups in Pakistan have repeatedly called for stricter regulation amid increasing youth use of vapes and e-shisha in major cities.
If approved, the legislation would become Pakistan’s most comprehensive federal regulation of next-generation nicotine products to date.
