According to a report in the Taipei Times on January 13th, Kuomintang legislator Wan Meiling from Taiwan, China stated that since the revision of the law in 2023, the enforcement of the ban on e-cigarettes has been insufficient, with a very low proportion of cases resulting in fines.
The Legislative Yuan passed an amendment to the "Tobacco Hazard Prevention Act" in March 2023, which prohibits the sale, display, and use of e-cigarettes. However, according to data from the National Health Administration of the Ministry of Health and Welfare, out of 500,000 cases involving e-cigarettes since the amendment, only 1,247 fines have been issued, accounting for just 0.25%. Among these cases, 251 fines were for the sale of e-cigarettes, 619 were for the sale of heated tobacco products, and 404 were for illegal use.
Wan Meiling stated that from July to September 2024, police nationwide seized a total of 681 "zombie e-cigarettes" containing etizolam, averaging 227 devices per month.
Van Meiling emphasized the need to strengthen inspections and public awareness to prevent e-cigarettes and related drugs from impacting society. The Executive Yuan responded by stating that the Supreme Prosecutors' Office had held meetings on November 13 and 21, 2024 with the Ministry of Health and Welfare, Ministry of Finance, Ministry of the Interior, and the Ministry of Digital Development to discuss measures for preventing and controlling e-cigarettes.
In response to cases involving e-cigarettes containing illegal drugs, anti-drug agencies have been requested to strengthen investigations, trace the sources of the drugs, and uncover downstream drug use. The National Health Administration has held multiple meetings with online retailers and social media platforms to enhance investigations into the sale of e-cigarette products. They have also collaborated with the Ministry of Digital Development to block illegal websites, and worked with the Financial Supervision Committee to identify sellers' personal information and financial transactions.
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