Indonesia to Tighten Control on E-Cigarette Imports.

The rapidly growing trend of electronic cigarettes in Indonesia is having negative effects on the health of individuals, similar to traditional cigarettes. As a result, the Ministry of Trade in Indonesia (Kemendag) will be implementing import controls on electronic cigarettes and related devices.

Zulkifli Hasan, the Trade Minister of Indonesia, announced on Sunday (January 29, 2023) during a health walk activity at BKT Air Door in East Jakarta that he has been authorized by the President to implement measures to control the import of tobacco and equipment in order to prevent foreign entities from profiting from their exports.

The Minister of Commerce stated, "In order to reduce the number of victims affected by the hazards of electronic cigarettes, the Ministry of Commerce will tighten regulations on the import of electronic cigarette oil, including tax issues. We will tighten tax policies.

He also stated that the Ministry of Commerce will supervise the trading procedures or regulations of electronic cigarettes. Recently, electronic cigarettes have become a focus of concern as they have been claimed to contain harmful liquids.

Previously, Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin stated that the Ministry of Health is researching and discussing regulations regarding electronic cigarettes. The discussion of regulations regarding electronic cigarettes is still being coordinated with relevant government departments and agencies.

2FIRSTS will continue to monitor and report on this issue.

Related reading: "Indonesia is currently conducting a comprehensive evaluation of the hazards posed by electronic cigarettes, and they may be prohibited.