Yes
Lebanon’s Tobacco Control and Regulation of Tobacco Products’ Manufacturing, Packaging and Advertising (Law No. 174) prohibits the advertising and promotion of tobacco products in traditional and electronic media. The law regulates all tobacco products the same, including cigarettes, smokeless products, e-cigarettes, and heat-not-burn products. Smoking, vaping, and use of heat-not-burn products is banned in hospitals, schools, and many public buildings in Lebanon, and regulations mandate health warnings must occupy 40 percent of tobacco packaging’s surface area.
Recent media coverage in Lebanon tends to focus on the country’s e-cigarette ban, health concerns surrounding e-cigarettes, and the influence of e-cigarettes on young people. Because of the ban, some smokers have become involved in the illegal trading and use of e-cigarettes. Coverage also notes the recent boost to Lebanon’s tobacco farming, as the country accepts more Syrian refugees who also smoke at high rates.
The Lebanese government has stated that there are no studies regarding the health effects of e-cigarettes. Because of the tobacco industry’s influence on the government and the government’s control of the media, Lebanese people are often told that e-cigarettes are potentially more harmful than standard cigarettes and are a danger to Lebanese youth.
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