Vietnam Takes Steps to Regulate E-Cigarette Market

According to a report from the People's Daily of Vietnam on June 4, Minister of Industry and Trade of Vietnam, Nguyen Hong Dien, emphasized that no e-cigarette business licenses have been issued to any company at the moment. In the future, the Ministry of Industry and Trade will introduce clearer policies to regulate such products.

On June 4th, Tran Thi Thanh Lam, a representative of the Penang Provincial Parliament, raised questions about the prevalence of the e-cigarette market in the region. She pointed out that although e-cigarettes and heated tobacco products are not officially recognized in Vietnam, they have become widespread in the market, especially online, posing a threat to public health, particularly the health of young people.

Certainly, it can be confirmed that the e-cigarettes and heated tobacco products currently on the market are smuggled and of unknown origin. Can the minister inform us what is the government's responsibility in market management and commitment to addressing this issue?

When answering this question, Ruan Hongdian admitted that the tobacco industry is conditional and current laws do not define new generation tobacco products, including e-cigarettes and heated tobacco sticks. "Therefore, there has been a legal vacuum in the national management of these products for some time." The minister emphasized that the Ministry of Industry and Trade has not issued any e-cigarette business permits to any company, and has instructed market management agencies to strengthen inspections and controls. In recent times, they have cracked down on illegal activities related to such products in provinces like Henan, Guangdong, and Hanoi, seizing tens of thousands of products.

The minister proposed a series of solutions: first, to coordinate with relevant departments and recommend the introduction of strict and clear e-cigarette management policies to fill legal gaps, and to suggest that local governments allocate appropriate resources to strictly regulate such products.

At the same time, the Ministry of Industry and Trade has instructed market regulatory authorities to strictly control the rampant e-cigarette and heated tobacco products. Ruan Hongdian stated that it is necessary to start cracking down on smuggling from the border, otherwise, it will be very difficult once they enter the domestic market.

Furthermore, it is important to strengthen educational campaigns to increase awareness of the harms of e-cigarettes among children and students. This includes incorporating information about e-cigarette dangers into school curriculums and mobilizing social organizations, families, schools, and communities to participate in awareness campaigns and implement better management practices for children at home. Local authorities should also take on greater responsibility in managing the widespread use of e-cigarettes and new generation tobacco products.