State Tobacco Monopoly Bureau: Guiding Opinions on the Layout of E-cigarette Wholesale Enterprises

Regulations
Jun.13.2022
Referring to the economic development level, retail outlet quantity, market coverage and geographical location of various localities. The following guidance is provided on the layout of wholesale enterprises of e-cigarettes.

In order to standardize the examination and approval administration of the licenses of e-cigarette wholesale enterprises, in accordance with the Law of the People's Republic of China on Tobacco Monopoly Law, the Regulations of the People's Republic of China on the Implementation of the Tobacco Monopoly Law, the Measures for the Administration of Tobacco Monopoly License (Order No. 37 of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology), the Implementation Rules for the Management of Tobacco Monopoly License (GYF [2020] No.205) and the Measures for the Administration of Electronic Cigarette (No. 1 of Announcement No.1 of the State Tobacco Monopoly Bureau) and other laws and regulations, rules and normative documents, referring to the economic development level, retail outlet quantity, market coverage and geographical location of various localities. The following guidance is provided on the layout of wholesale enterprises of e-cigarettes.

 
I. Basic Principles


(1) Market orientation. Respect the market law, combine consumption group, population scale, economic level, geographic transportation, enterprise cost and other comprehensive situation, overall consideration of wholesale enterprise quantity, realize the purpose of efficient operation, supply and demand matching, resource optimization.


(2) Territorial operation. In strict accordance with the "Measures for the Administration of Electronic Cigarettes" that "e-cigarette products should be purchased from local e-cigarette wholesale enterprises", combined with the characteristics of e-cigarette products, resources should be integrated and scale operation should be carried out, and e-cigarette wholesale enterprises should be laid out.

 
(3) Strengthen regulation. Comprehensively apply the means of marketization and legalization, strictly examine and approve according to relevant laws and regulations, rules and normative documents, strengthen the admission supervision of wholesale enterprises of e-cigarette according to law, and improve the supervision efficiency and supervision level.

 
II. The layout requirements

 
According to the Measures for the Administration of Electronic Cigarettes, enterprises that have obtained the license of tobacco monopoly wholesale enterprises should be approved by the department of tobacco monopoly administration, and they can engage in the wholesale business of electronic cigarettes only after changing the license scope.

 
(1) General conditions:

 
1. The administrative region has matching conditions such as population size, traffic condition, economic level, consumption capacity and enterprise cost;  

 
2. Other conditions prescribed by the department of tobacco monopoly administration under the State Council.

 
(2) Restrictive circumstances:


1. There are major cases of illegal production and operation of electronic cigarettes in this administrative area, which have caused great social impact;

 
2. There are situations in which e-cigarettes are sold to minors within the administrative area, which are serious and cause great social impact;

 
3. In this administrative area, the situation of selling e-cigarettes through information networks other than the national unified e-cigarette trading management platform is serious, which has caused great social impact;

 
4. The illegal circulation of e-cigarettes in this administrative area is serious, which has caused great social impact;

 
5. Other circumstances affecting the wholesale business of electronic cigarettes.

 
III. Work Requirements

 
(1) Unify ideological understanding. Strengthening the supervision of e-cigarette is the responsibility and mission of tobacco monopoly administrative departments at all levels. Starting from the overall situation of the Party and the state, we should firmly establish the consciousness of the overall situation, cooperate with the change of the license of tobacco monopoly wholesale enterprises, and fulfill the main responsibility of the supervision of e-cigarette.

 
(2) Compact the principal responsibility. The organization and leadership shall be strengthened, the principal responsibility shall be consolidated, the responsibility shall be strengthened, the detailed guidance shall be carefully studied and implemented, and the production and operation management of e-cigarette shall be strengthened to ensure that the policies are in place, the measures are in place and the results are in place, and the supervision efficiency and supervision level of e-cigarette shall be comprehensively improved.

 
(3) Strengthen communication and coordination. It is necessary to actively report and communicate with local party committees and governments, strengthen coordination and cooperation with relevant departments, gather consensus, win support, and form joint forces to create a good policy environment and an honest and trustworthy market environment with fair competition.

 

Product | KT&G Expands lil AIBLE 3.0 Sales to Seoul Convenience Stores, Launches Two New AIIM Variants
Product | KT&G Expands lil AIBLE 3.0 Sales to Seoul Convenience Stores, Launches Two New AIIM Variants
According to South Korean media reports, KT&G has expanded sales of its heated tobacco device lil AIBLE 3.0 to convenience stores across Seoul starting May 13. The convenience-store version is offered in the exclusive OUD GRAY color. On the same day, KT&G also launched two new dedicated consumables for the lil AIBLE platform—AIIM REMIX and AIIM ICESPOT—at convenience stores nationwide, each priced at KRW 4,800.
Market
Jun.01
FDA Sued Over Allowing Some Unauthorized Vapes and Nicotine Pouches to Stay on Market
FDA Sued Over Allowing Some Unauthorized Vapes and Nicotine Pouches to Stay on Market
Public health groups, pediatricians and parents sued the U.S. Food and Drug Administration on July 14, 2026, challenging a May enforcement guidance that they say allows unauthorized e-cigarettes and nicotine pouches to remain on the market while applications are under review.
Jul.15
Reemtsma says German illegal e-cigarette seizures reached 70% of 2025 total, pouches 179%
Reemtsma says German illegal e-cigarette seizures reached 70% of 2025 total, pouches 179%
Reemtsma said its first-half 2026 black-market tracker for tobacco and nicotine products showed a continued rise in officially reported seizures in Germany, with illegal e-cigarette seizures reaching 70% of the full-year 2025 level and snus and nicotine pouch seizures reaching 179% of last year’s total.
Jul.08
Ukrainian Media: Polish Vape Distributor Evapify Allegedly Linked to Russian Businessman Named in U.S. “Russia Oligarch Report”
Ukrainian Media: Polish Vape Distributor Evapify Allegedly Linked to Russian Businessman Named in U.S. “Russia Oligarch Report”
According to an investigative report by Euromaidan Press, a Ukrainian English-language independent media outlet, Russian businessman Oleg Boyko has been sanctioned by Ukraine, Poland, Australia and Canada, but has not been added to the European Union’s sanctions list. The report alleges that Evapify, a Polish vape distributor with financial and personal ties to Boyko, holds a significant position in Poland’s disposable vape market.
News
Jun.01
One Nation Proposes 50% Tobacco Excise Cut as Australia’s Illicit Market Expands
One Nation Proposes 50% Tobacco Excise Cut as Australia’s Illicit Market Expands
Australian One Nation leader Pauline Hanson has proposed cutting tobacco excise by 50% and freezing indexation until June 30, 2028, in a bid to lower legal cigarette prices and reduce the price advantage of the illicit tobacco market.
Jun.18
Australia’s Daily Smoking Rate Falls to Record Low of 5.8% as Nicotine Use Patterns Shift
Australia’s Daily Smoking Rate Falls to Record Low of 5.8% as Nicotine Use Patterns Shift
According to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare’s National Drug Strategy Household Survey, daily smoking among Australians aged 18 and over fell to a record low of 5.8% in 2025. Health Minister Mark Butler said Australia now has around 500,000 fewer daily smokers than three years ago and credited the government’s vaping reforms as part of broader progress. Among people aged 14 and over, daily smoking declined from 8.3% in 2022-23 to 5.6% in 2025. Daily vaping rates stabilised at 3.6%, while the government also moved to further restrict access to nicotine pouches through unapproved therapeutic import pathways.
Jul.21