The regulation could come into effect as early as May 20, and further e-cigarette restrictions are being considered, the cabinet chief said.

The government is taking these steps following the European Court of Justiceʼs ruling in early May regarding a European Union directive on tobacco products. The EU directive mandates the standardization of packaging, a future EU-wide prohibition on menthol cigarettes and special rules for e-cigarettes, Hungarian news agency MTI noted.

The Hungarian government is also planning to introduce plain packaging for cigarettes, and flavored cigarettes will be banned, Lázár said. He added that it is possible the distribution and production of menthol, fruit or spice-flavored and capsule cigarettes will be banned as early as this year.

By Christian Keszthelyi

Source: BBJ

Republished with persmission