【轉知】Amendment to Tobacco Hazards Prevention Act effective from March 22, 2023《菸草危害預防法》

Amendment to Tobacco Hazards Prevention Act effective from March 22, 2023
With authorities started the crackdown on an expanded line of illegal products—the public and businesses are urged to review their practice in case of violation!

Other key amendments to the Act:
1.    Expanding the no smoking area to include indoor and outdoor public places, such as universities, kindergartens, childcare centers, and home-based childcare facilities. Smoking is not allowed outside independent air-conditioned and partitioned smoking room at bars and nightclubs with areas.
2.    Raising the legal smoking age to 20.
3.    Increasing the warning label size on cigarette packs to 50%.
4.    Prohibiting the use of additives that have been publicly announced as prohibited by the central governing authority.
5.    Imposing heavier penalties.

Authorities start cracking down on an expanded line of illegal products

Given the proliferation of electronic cigarettes, novel and emerging tobacco products
 (including heated tobacco), and their essential components in physical stores and online, the lack of corresponding legal framework had made enforcement challenging. But from now on, the HPA can collaborate with local health authorities to crack down on those products and activities in accordance with the law. The targeted channels include physical stores, mobile vendors at night markets, home delivery or door-to-door sales, sales near school premises, online platforms, and online communities. Business operations and activities (such as the sale or display of illegal products) and advertising methods (such as signage at physical stores and information on online sales pages) are the main areas for inspections. Businesses and vendors are urged not to take chances, and online e-commerce platforms are encouraged to establish rigorous management and review mechanisms, to verify the personal information provided by their members and promptly remove non-compliant products in case of violating the law.

Furthermore, the public is reminded not to use, purchase, or recommend illegal products. If violations of the Tobacco Hazards Prevention Act are observed, individuals are encouraged to provide material evidence and report incidents to their local health authority or call the toll-free tobacco hazards consultation and reporting hotline at 0800-531531.

For more information and resources on tobacco control, please visit the official HPA website: https://www.hpa.gov.tw/EngPages/Detail.aspx?nodeid=1054&pid=17534.

菸害防制法修法業經112年2月15日總統令修正公布，並經行政院發布自112年3月22日起施行，七大重點如下：

1. 全面禁止電子煙之類菸品，包括製造、輸入、販賣、供應、展示、廣告及使用。
2. 嚴格管制符合菸品定義之新型態菸草產品（如加熱菸），增訂健康風險評估審查機制，經審查通過，始得製造、輸入。另，使用指定菸品時必要之組合元件，須併同送審，若經核定通過，管制事項包括：禁止以自動販賣、電子購物等無法辨識消費者年齡之方式販賣；禁止特定之促銷或廣告行為；營業場所不得免費供應；任何人不得供應予未滿20歲之人。
3. 禁止吸菸年齡提高至未滿20歲。
4. 菸品容器警示圖文標示面積增加為50%。
5. 禁止使用經中央主管機關公告禁用之添加物。
6. 擴大禁菸之室內外公共場所。
7. 加重罰責。

    有抽菸習慣的民眾，戒菸可就近到全臺22縣市，近3,500家戒菸合約醫事機構（醫院、診所及藥局）提供戒菸服務，為減輕民眾經濟負擔，增加誘因鼓勵吸菸者戒菸，自111年5月15日起不分對象皆免收戒菸輔助用藥部分負擔。
戒菸服務機構名單可至衛生福利部國民健康署委託戒菸治療與管理網站查詢：https://ttc.hpa.gov.tw/Web/Agency.aspx ，或電話洽詢戒菸治療與管理窗口(電話：02-2351-0120)。亦可利用免付費戒菸專線0800-636363，或使用Line通訊軟體（ID：@tsh0800636363）進行戒菸相關諮詢。