E-cigarette crackdown to combat underage vaping

Liu Cheng decided to gradually quit vaping as he found purchasing e-cigarettes online is not as easy as before.

“Many vapers have made the same decision,” said Liu, a college graduate in south China’s Guangzhou.

E-cigarettes were the “first whiff of smoke” for many teenagers. About 10 million Chinese aged 15 or above are using e-cigarettes, data from the Tobacco Control Office of the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention showed.

The vaping rate among young people was higher than other age groups, with those aged 15 to 24 the highest, and around 45.4 percent of e-cigarettes were bought online. E-cigarettes that contain nicotine are referred to as an “electronic nicotine delivery system” by the World Health Organization.

An ENDS is considered responsible for lung cancer, cardio-cerebrovascular diseases and other smoking-related illnesses if inhaled for a long period of time.

Chinese authorities have taken multiple measures since November to intensify the oversight of online selling of e-cigarettes, including banning online sales and advertisements.

Several well-known domestic e-commerce platforms including Taobao, JD.com and Suning.com have removed e-cigarette products. “We could sell thousands of e-cigarettes a day online.

“But we still shut down the online store in response to the new regulation,” said the owner of a Taobao store.

“Exposure to nicotine in adolescents may have long-term adverse consequences for brain development and may increase the risk of cardiovascular and smoking-related diseases,” said Zhuang Runsen, executive vice president of the Shenzhen Tobacco Control Association.

Zhang said restricting sales of e-cigarettes will reduce access for minors. E-cigarette companies are also taking action.