Vietnam: total ban on electronic cigarettes and heated tobacco from 2025

The Vietnamese National Assembly on November 30, 2024, adopted a unanimous resolution banning the production, sale, import, storage, transportation and use of e-cigarettes and heated tobacco. The measure, which will come into effect in 2025, reflects the country's determination to protect public health in the face of rising addictions and diseases associated with these products.[1].

A health and economic threat

Heated tobacco, often presented as a less harmful alternative to traditional tobacco, actually poses serious health risks. Similarly, e-cigarettes are not harmless products. According to the Vietnamese Ministry of Health, these products contain high levels of nicotine, making them highly addictive, while being associated with serious diseases, including cardiovascular and respiratory disorders. The rise in popularity of these new products, especially among young people, has reinforced the urgency of strict regulation.[2].

Tobacco use in Vietnam is not just a health issue: it is also a major obstacle to development. Expenditures on tobacco, whether traditional or alternative, significantly reduce the income of the poorest households, widening inequality and plunging some families into a cycle of persistent poverty. A 2018 study previously found that tobacco spending contributed to pushing more than 305,000 Vietnamese into poverty.[3].

Enhanced protection for young people

One of the main aims of the ban is to reduce the appeal of e-cigarettes to younger generations, who are particularly vulnerable to manufacturers' marketing campaigns. The products are often presented in attractive formats, with sweet flavours and modern designs, which mask their dangers.

The National Assembly stressed the importance of raising awareness of the risks associated with these products. Educational campaigns should accompany this measure to deconstruct preconceived ideas about the supposed harmlessness of heated tobacco and also to warn about the risks of addiction of electronic cigarettes. These initiatives are in line with the National Program for the Prevention and Control of the Risks of Tobacco and New Nicotine Products, which also emphasizes the social and economic impacts of smoking.

An implementation to watch

Vietnam’s decision has been lauded by public health agencies around the world. And rightly so – the ban marks a significant step forward. However, implementing the resolution poses challenges. The government will need to ensure broad and ongoing public awareness, while combating illegal sales that could flourish in response to the new law.

©Tobacco Free Generation

RK

[1] https://english.vov.vn/en/politics/domestic/national-assembly-unanimously-bans-e-cigarettes-starting-in-2025-post1139098.vov (accessed 02/12/2024)

[2] https://e.vnexpress.net/news/news/vietnam-to-ban-e-cigarettes-starting-2025-4822304.html (accessed 02/12/2024)

[3] https://www.generationsanstabac.org/fr/actualites/tabagisme-au-vietnam-un-probleme-de-sante-publique-et-un-facteur-de-pauvrete/ (accessed 02/12/2024)

National Committee Against Smoking |