Lawmakers yesterday approved the third reading of proposed amendments to the Tobacco Hazards Prevention Act (菸害防治法), which would require heated tobacco products (HTPs) to comply with the law, ban e-cigarettes and raise the legal age for buying cigarettes to 20.
People who use HTPs or e-cigarettes that are not approved by authorities would face a fine of NT$2,000 to NT$10,000 (US$65.66 to US$328.32), the amendments say.
Entities that sell or manufacture such products would be required to present samples of their products and necessary components, such as heaters for HTPs, when submitting health risk assessment reports, according to the amendments.
Photo: CNA
Tobacco products and related devices cannot be advertised or promoted in any way, nor can distributors claim they have passed health risk assessments, they say.
The amendments place e-cigarettes in the “cigarette-like product” category, effectively banning their use as well as the sale, provision or manufacturing of their necessary components.
Those who manufacture, import, provide or advertise tobacco products, or non-approved HTPs, would face fines of NT$10 million to NT$50 million, the amendments say.
Offenders who are not business owners would be fined NT$50,000 to NT$5 million, they say.
People who incur fines would be granted a grace period, after which they could be fined for repeat offenses, according to the amendments.
The amendments also ratify the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, and forbid tobacco companies or the manufacturers of necessary components from donating directly or indirectly to events, natural or legal persons or groups to promote or advertise their products.
Tobacco products must contain warning labels that cover at least half of the packaging, they say.
The amendments also ban smoking around all schools and childcare facilities.
The clauses on e-cigarettes and HTPs are to take effect one month after the amendments’ contents are announced to the public.
The clauses on vapes with additional flavors as well as regulations on packaging are to take effect one year after the amendments are announced.
Taiwan is projected to lose a working-age population of about 6.67 million people in two waves of retirement in the coming years, as the nation confronts accelerating demographic decline and a shortage of younger workers to take their place, the Ministry of the Interior said. Taiwan experienced its largest baby boom between 1958 and 1966, when the population grew by 3.78 million, followed by a second surge of 2.89 million between 1976 and 1982, ministry data showed. In 2023, the first of those baby boom generations — those born in the late 1950s and early 1960s — began to enter retirement, triggering
ECONOMIC BOOST: Should the more than 23 million people eligible for the NT$10,000 handouts spend them the same way as in 2023, GDP could rise 0.5 percent, an official said Universal cash handouts of NT$10,000 (US$330) are to be disbursed late next month at the earliest — including to permanent residents and foreign residents married to Taiwanese — pending legislative approval, the Ministry of Finance said yesterday. The Executive Yuan yesterday approved the Special Act for Strengthening Economic, Social and National Security Resilience in Response to International Circumstances (因應國際情勢強化經濟社會及民生國安韌性特別條例). The NT$550 billion special budget includes NT$236 billion for the cash handouts, plus an additional NT$20 billion set aside as reserve funds, expected to be used to support industries. Handouts might begin one month after the bill is promulgated and would be completed within
The National Development Council (NDC) yesterday unveiled details of new regulations that ease restrictions on foreigners working or living in Taiwan, as part of a bid to attract skilled workers from abroad. The regulations, which could go into effect in the first quarter of next year, stem from amendments to the Act for the Recruitment and Employment of Foreign Professionals (外國專業人才延攬及僱用法) passed by lawmakers on Aug. 29. Students categorized as “overseas compatriots” would be allowed to stay and work in Taiwan in the two years after their graduation without obtaining additional permits, doing away with the evaluation process that is currently required,
NO CHANGE: The TRA makes clear that the US does not consider the status of Taiwan to have been determined by WWII-era documents, a former AIT deputy director said The American Institute in Taiwan’s (AIT) comments that World War-II era documents do not determine Taiwan’s political status accurately conveyed the US’ stance, the US Department of State said. An AIT spokesperson on Saturday said that a Chinese official mischaracterized World War II-era documents as stating that Taiwan was ceded to the China. The remarks from the US’ de facto embassy in Taiwan drew criticism from the Ma Ying-jeou Foundation, whose director said the comments put Taiwan in danger. The Chinese-language United Daily News yesterday reported that a US State Department spokesperson confirmed the AIT’s position. They added that the US would continue to