China to tighten regulation on e-cigarettes

BEIJING, March 15 (Xinhua) -- China's State Tobacco Monopoly Administration has issued a regulation that aims to strengthen supervision on electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes).

The country will implement license management for e-cigarette production, wholesale and retail entities starting from May 1, according to the regulation.

In recent years, due to regulatory gaps, the e-cigarette industry has seen disorderly development, with some products reporting problems such as unclear nicotine content, unknown additives and tobacco tar leakage, the document said.

According to the regulation, sales channel management on e-cigarettes will be carried out, while an e-cigarette trading management platform will be established to standardize sales.

Efforts will be made to regulate e-cigarettes in terms of product safety and quality, as well as transportation, import and export, said the regulation.

E-cigarette sales outlets must not be set up near schools, and flavored e-cigarettes will be banned, it said.