first international fair of electronic cigarette and vapology "Vapexpo" in Bordeaux, southwestern France, March 13, 2014. (Reuters)
Geneva:
Countries around the world have different rules regarding e-cigarettes, and while they are enormously popular in some countries, people in others turn up their noses at them.
Here is a snapshot of the situation around the world, after the World Health Organization said on Tuesday they should be banned for sale to minors, warning that they pose a "serious threat" to foetuses and young people.
--EUROPE--
- ON GENERAL SALE: In Albania, Bosnia, Britain, Croatia, Estonia, France, Greece, Kosovo, Latvia, Lithuania, Macedonia, Montenegro, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Serbia and Spain.
- BANNED FOR SALE TO MINORS: Croatia, Czech Republic, France, Greece, Latvia, Romania, The Netherlands, Slovakia, Spain.
- ALLOWED FOR SALE WITHOUT NICOTINE: Finland, Norway
- BANNED WITH NICOTINE: Denmark, Finland, Norway, Sweden
- GAINING IN POPULARITY: Britain: where the number of users of e-cigarettes has tripled over the past few years from 700,000 to 2.1 million, and France, where the use of e-cigarettes has soared over the past two years.
- NOT POPULAR: Germany, Norway and Russia, where e-cigarettes have not caught on in a country where a third of the population, or 44 million people smoke.
--THE AMERICAS--
- THE UNITED STATES: The use of electronic cigarettes has exploded in the United States, with sales multiplying by nine between 2010 and 2012.
Regulations vary from one state to another, but often the sale to minors is banned.
- LATIN AMERICA: E-cigarettes are not popular in the region and their sale is banned in several countries, including Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Mexico, Panama, Uruguay and Venezuela.
--ASIA--
- E-cigarettes are banned in Australia, Singapore and Thailand and are not popular in other countries of the region where tobacco is cheap.
Here is a snapshot of the situation around the world, after the World Health Organization said on Tuesday they should be banned for sale to minors, warning that they pose a "serious threat" to foetuses and young people.
--EUROPE--
- ON GENERAL SALE: In Albania, Bosnia, Britain, Croatia, Estonia, France, Greece, Kosovo, Latvia, Lithuania, Macedonia, Montenegro, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Serbia and Spain.
- BANNED FOR SALE TO MINORS: Croatia, Czech Republic, France, Greece, Latvia, Romania, The Netherlands, Slovakia, Spain.
- ALLOWED FOR SALE WITHOUT NICOTINE: Finland, Norway
- BANNED WITH NICOTINE: Denmark, Finland, Norway, Sweden
- GAINING IN POPULARITY: Britain: where the number of users of e-cigarettes has tripled over the past few years from 700,000 to 2.1 million, and France, where the use of e-cigarettes has soared over the past two years.
- NOT POPULAR: Germany, Norway and Russia, where e-cigarettes have not caught on in a country where a third of the population, or 44 million people smoke.
--THE AMERICAS--
- THE UNITED STATES: The use of electronic cigarettes has exploded in the United States, with sales multiplying by nine between 2010 and 2012.
Regulations vary from one state to another, but often the sale to minors is banned.
- LATIN AMERICA: E-cigarettes are not popular in the region and their sale is banned in several countries, including Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Mexico, Panama, Uruguay and Venezuela.
--ASIA--
- E-cigarettes are banned in Australia, Singapore and Thailand and are not popular in other countries of the region where tobacco is cheap.
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