Bulgaria Bans Disposable E-Cigs and Tightens Tobacco Rules
The Bulgarian Parliament, in a late-night session, passed new legislation targeting the use of nicotine products, particularly focusing on minors and single-use electronic cigarettes. The amendments aim to curb the rising incidence of vaping-related incidents among young people, signaling a shift in the country’s approach to tobacco regulation.
Parliamentary Session Highlights
Parliament Chairwoman Natalia Kiselova brought the day’s proceedings to a close just before midnight. The deputies spent a significant portion of the day at the National Assembly, ultimately passing two key bills. The second bill focused on amending the Tobacco and Tobacco Act.
The new law specifically prohibits minors from purchasing energy drinks. It also bans disposable e-cigarettes. However, multi-use electronic cigarettes with refillable pods remain legal.
Details of the New Regulations
The legislation defines a disposable e-cigarette as a device, with or without nicotine, that has factory-loaded liquid and cannot be refilled. The sale of products like snus and pouches, containing over 20mg of nicotine, is now prohibited in places such as nurseries, schools, and medical facilities.
Fines for violations have increased. Businesses providing sites for the sale or advertising of tobacco and related products, which are already illegal, face fines between 20,000 and 50,000 BGN. Repeat offenses can lead to penalties of 60,000 to 120,000 BGN.
“Changes have been made, another law was created not with doors, not with doors, but with whole portals,”
—Kostadin Kostadinov
Kostadin Angelov of GERB, the Health Committee head, stated that the bill’s modifications were deliberate, in order to avoid a European Union directive that would prevent the ban. Bulgaria is poised to become the second European nation to prohibit disposable e-cigarettes. In 2023, France banned single-use e-cigarettes, joining a growing number of countries taking similar measures to protect public health (Reuters).
Looking Ahead
The parliamentary session adjourned, with deputies scheduled to reconvene at 10 a.m. the following day. These changes reflect an evolving landscape of tobacco regulations.
