South Korea harmonizes regulations for "synthetic" and "natural" nicotine products

South Korea will subject chemically created nicotine products, such as e-cigarettes and heated tobacco, to the same regulations as tobacco products containing "natural" nicotine. The aim is, in particular, to curb the rise of vaping among young people. The legislative revision, announced by the Ministry of Health and Welfare, will take effect on April 24, 2026. Until now, the legal definition of tobacco only covered nicotine extracted from leaves, leaving synthetic nicotine products outside the regulatory scope despite their similar addictive potential.[1].

Products with stricter regulations to protect non-smokers, especially young people

The new law recognizes the need to harmonize the regulation of all products containing tobacco or nicotine while classifying them under the same term "tobacco products".

The law sets a maximum nicotine concentration of 20 mg/ml (2 %) for e-liquids, in order to reduce the risk of addiction and the cardiovascular and neurological effects associated with nicotine. The volume of nicotine-containing containers will be capped at 10 ml.

E-cigarettes will be banned in non-smoking areas, with fines of up to 100,000 won (approximately €58) for violations.

Sellers will have to be registered as authorized retailers, online sales will be totally prohibited and any form of advertising, promotion or sponsorship of these products will be banned, with the aim of limiting their trivialization.

The legislation specifically targets marketing aimed at young people: manufacturers will be required to include visual and textual health warnings similar to those found on traditional cigarette packaging, and the use of flavor descriptions such as "mango," "mint," or "sweet," along with associated images, will be banned from bottles. Failure to comply with these regulations is punishable by fines of up to 5 million won (€2,886) or six months' imprisonment.

Fruit-flavored or confectionery-based products are explicitly targeted, their combination with facilitated online access contributing to slowing the decline in traditional smoking and increasing vaping among adolescents.

Indeed, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) indicated that the rate of vaping among young people will reach 2.9 per 100,000 by 2025, almost matching the rate of traditional cigarette smoking, which is 3.3 per 100,000. Furthermore, 61.4 per 100,000 of young smokers also use e-cigarettes.

The plan also includes increased inspections, with random checks and sampling at points of sale and warehouses to verify compliance with the new rules.

A public health policy aligned with international recommendations

The Korean Ministry of Health presents this revision as a key lever for preventing youth smoking and moving towards the goal of a "tobacco-free generation." An official from the Ministry of Health and Welfare stated that« The widespread exposure of adolescents to subtle tobacco marketing strategies in their daily lives is causing serious social concern. »", adding that« This change will be a cornerstone for creating a tobacco-free generation and reducing tobacco exposure for future generations. ".

This regulatory development is part of the application to new products of the provisions of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC), ratified by the country in 2005. For several years, the WHO has been warning about the role of flavors in introducing young people to vaping and recommends that all nicotine products, including those using new forms of nicotine, be subject to strict regulation if they are not banned from marketing.

On an international level, the countries present at the 11th^e Conference of the Parties (COP) to the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, In 2025 in Geneva, the Parties adopted a resolution aimed at regulating all types of tobacco and nicotine products in order to address the challenges posed by new nicotine products. Indeed, Article 2.1 on forward-looking measures encourages Parties to take provisions beyond the strict text of the Convention, citing the Netherlands as an example of having banned e-cigarette flavorings and nicotine pouches.

However, challenges remain: the effects of "nicotine analogues" on human health« These products remain largely unknown, even though their addictive potential is similar to that of nicotine. Due to their absence from the new Korean law, some experts, such as Dr. Lee Kyu-hong of the National Institute of Toxicological Research, have called for rigorous testing of these products and for nicotine-like substances to be subjected to the Registration and Evaluation of Chemicals (REACH) Act, which contains stricter provisions than the Tobacco Trade Act.[2].

©Generation Without Tobacco

AD

[1]Korea closes loophole on synthetic nicotine to curb youth vaping, The Korea Times, published March 20, 2026, accessed March 24, 2026

[2]Kim Hyun-ji, 인체 흡입 '유사니코틴' 강화된 검증 필요, Daum, published on March 25, 2026, accessed the same day

National Committee Against Smoking |