Filenews 28 May 2023 -by Despina Psillou
Minors in Cyprus have access to nicotine-free cigarettes, as there seems to be ambiguity in the 2017 legislation on tobacco control.
Such nicotine-free vaping products are easily accessible, placed on kiosk stalls next to the cashier and separate from other tobacco items, and can also be found in cafes. They are characterized by attractive packaging that has nice colours and a variety of fruit flavours. As "F" is informed, the Cyprus Addictions Authority through a letter requested a year and a half ago an opinion from the Legal Service on new tobacco products that do not have nicotine, but did not receive a response. Meanwhile, the president of the New Kiosk Owners Association (NESYPE), Spyros Xinaris, stressed that there is no control, that retail trade has turned into a jungle and that they want the issue to be clarified.
In particular, the Health Protection (Tobacco Control) Law of 2017 states that the supply of tobacco products, electronic cigarettes, novel tobacco products, herbal products for smoking and non-smoked tobacco products to a minor person, ie a person under the age of 18, is prohibited.
However, it appears that the 'new nicotine-free tobacco products' in question are not included in the legislation, since 'electronic cigarette' is defined, inter alia, as a product with a mouthpiece, which can be used for the consumption of nicotine-containing vapour.
At the same time, the legislation defines a 'novel tobacco product' as one placed on the market after 19 May 2014 which does not belong to the category cigarettes, roll-your-own tobacco, pipe tobacco, waterpipe tobacco, cigar, cigarillo, chewing tobacco, nasal tobacco and oral tobacco.
According to "F" information, because the legislation on these nicotine-free tobacco products is incomplete, today they are sold without any prohibition or other restriction to minors and are even available in kiosks, cafes and other businesses.
For his part, the president of the New Kiosk Owners Association (NESYPE), Spyros Xinaris, noted to "F" that retail has turned into a jungle. "Everyone does what they want and sells what they want. It must be done before those responsible can move and correct situations. As happened recently with the sale of a knife to a minor."
In more than a year, Mr. Xinaris underlined, he addressed various state services, such as the Ministry of Health, the Chief Customs Office and the Authority for the Treatment of Addictions. "I was asking what is the legislation regulating the sale of new nicotine-free tobacco products. Everyone replies that there is no such law. I wonder, are they being imported into the Republic of Cyprus and nobody controls them? Mechanisms are needed, because in the end they end up blaming the kiosks."
It clarified that the products in question are electronic cigarettes. "Some have nicotine, while others don't. Those with nicotine are provided for in the legislation and are forbidden to be sold, like all other cigarettes, to minors. However, those without nicotine are not mentioned anywhere. So they can be sold to any person by anyone," he said, stressing that "there is no control. According to our information, nicotine-free e-cigarettes are also sold in coffee shops."
He also referred to the issue of the sale of cigarettes and tobacco products. "Even a street vendor can get a license to sell. We have been fighting, myself personally, from the position of president of NESYPE for the last ten years, so that tobacco products, as is the case in the EU, are licensed to sell them only by showing an identity card. In Cyprus you can easily obtain, for €55, the license to sell cigarettes. Then you hear the various announcements, supposedly to protect young people and reduce smoking."
He also noted that nicotine-free e-cigarettes are popular. "It's a prelude for young people to start smoking." Finally, he stressed that the industry wants this issue to be regulated even if commercially it becomes against their interests.
Second place in hookah smoking students
However, based on data from the European School Survey Programme on Alcohol and Other Drugs (ESPAD), it appears that 16-year-old students in Cyprus in 2019 reduced their use of conventional cigarettes and turned to new tobacco products, such as hookah and e-cigarettes.
In terms of hookah smoking, Cyprus is in second place. At the top is Monaco with 25%. It is followed by Cyprus, Germany and Montenegro with 21%, followed by Bulgaria with 19%. At the same time, it emerged that the daily use of e-cigarettes by students in Cyprus stands at 4.6%, while the average is 3.1%. When conventional and e-cigarette smoking is taken into account, the figure rises to 23%, compared with an EU average of 27%.
