Vietnam's Regulations on Heated Tobacco and E-cigarettes Evaluation

According to a recent report by Vietnamese news outlet The Star, under Vietnam's effective laws since 2012, heated tobacco is considered a type of tobacco product and therefore should adhere to tobacco control regulations.

Recently, the issue of e-cigarettes and heated tobacco has caught the attention of the Vietnamese government and National Assembly. In order to effectively regulate various tobacco products, relevant parties are evaluating the Tobacco Harm Prevention and Control Law.

According to Article 2.1 of the law, "Tobacco refers to products made from all or part of tobacco raw materials, including cigarettes, cigars, rolled tobacco, pipes, or other forms of products." Article 2.3 further stipulates, "Tobacco raw materials include untreated tobacco leaves, processed tobacco leaves with separated stems, tobacco fibers, tobacco stems, and other alternative materials used in the production of cigarettes."

Therefore, this regulation only considers the ingredients of a product to determine if it is considered a "cigarette", without taking into account the production process or intended use of different types of products, whether it be cigarettes, cigars, smokeless tobacco, or other forms.

Recently, at a national briefing on the management of heated tobacco and e-cigarette products, Vietnamese Minister of Health Dao Hong Lan emphasized the need for solid evidence to support the banning of new generation e-cigarettes. When reviewing the legal applicability of e-cigarettes and heated tobacco, caution should be exercised. Some officials from the department stated that the Tobacco Harm Prevention and Control Law is designed to cover future tobacco products. Member of Parliament Pham Khanh Phong Lan pointed out that the law clearly defines tobacco and related products, including e-cigarettes and heated tobacco, making current legislation fully capable of regulating emerging tobacco products.