The Bulgarian government has passed a total ban on vapes at its first reading in Parliament.
Members of parliament from all political parties voted unanimously – by 197 votes to none – to ban the import, trade, marketing and sale of vapes and similar devices. The proposed law applies to disposable and reusable vapes sold either from retail outlets or online, and includes nicotine free products.
The amendments to the Tobacco and Related Products Act were tabled by parliamentary healthcare committee chair, and leader of the ruling GERB-UDF party, Kostadin Angelov.
The ban, which was largely unexpected by the vaping industry, was hastily put on the agenda after a 14-year-old boy fell to his death from a seventh floor balcony in the northern city of Pleven on New Year’s Eve.
While there is no evidence vaping caused the accident, the boy and six other children are reported to have been using vapes containing the illegal psycho-active drug hexahydrocannabinol.
Ban tabled ‘too quickly’
Vaping advocates and anti-smoking campaigners argue the ban has been acted on too quickly without proper consultation and won’t solve the issue of illegal vapes.
Instead, they say, removing regulated vapes will fuel the blackmarket trade of unsafe products and remove an essential tool for helping adult smokers quit the far more dangerous habit.
Bulgaria has one of the highest smoking rates in the world, with around 40 per cent of the adult population using tobacco products. Almost a third (32 per cent) of children aged 13 to 15 are said to smoke.
The government appears to be fast tracking the new Bill, with the final debate in the parliamentary committee scheduled for February 18. This is the last opportunity to introduce amendments, after which the new law will proceed to a final vote in Parliament and take effect immediately.
The new legislation goes much further than the initial proposal for a ban only on the advertising of vapes.
Ban on sale of nicotine to children
The proposals also include amendments to the Child Protection Act by introducing a ban on the use, supply and sale to children of all nicotine-containing products.
In addition, Angelov is submitting a Bill for a complete ban on the sale, supply and distribution in retail outlets or online of energy drinks and any type of narcotic substance to children aged under 18.
“I do not think we need to have more children dying [of vaping]. The Bills will be introduced by the end of the work day,” Angelov said on Friday.
Labour and Social Policy Minister Borislav Gutsanov added: “What else needs to happen for us to realise that this is dangerous and cannot go on like this? Not only vapes but also narcotics. They are a scourge, and the sooner Parliament bans them the better.”
Gutsanov also agreed with the need for stricter regulations on energy drinks.
Cross-party political support
Kostadin Kostadinov, leader of Bulgaria’s far right Vazrazhdane party, said he expected the vape ban to be supported by all political parties. He revealed it had been discussed by the culture committee and all members supported it.
However, Delyan Peevski, leader of the MRF – New Beginning party, argued for a more regulatory approach, with a ban only on vapes imported from certain countries and more control over what reaches the market.
MP Alexander Simidchiev of Continue the Change – Democratic Bulgaria said his group would back any measure to limit the use of vapes and energy drinks. He said a lack of regulation meant the use of vapes and energy drinks in Bulgaria was “very high” and “disrupts the fabric of society”.
National Assembly Chairperson Nataliya Kiselova said she would support a Bill banning vapes for under-18-year olds. “Smoking is a serious problem in Bulgarian society, and alternatives to tobacco cigarettes are bad for health,” she said.
