In recent years, the use of e-cigarettes and heated tobacco products has gradually increased worldwide, and Vietnam is no exception. However, with the popularity of these new tobacco products, Vietnam has exposed a legal vacuum in regulation, and it is urgent to clarify the definition of e-cigarettes and heated tobacco to effectively protect public health.
According to a report from the Vietnamese Ministry of Health, the use of e-cigarettes and heated tobacco products has risen rapidly among young people. In 2023, nearly 700 medical institutions across the country recorded a total of 1,224 cases of hospitalization due to the use of e-cigarettes and heated tobacco products, of which 71 were patients under the age of 18 and 10% were women.
This trend has attracted widespread attention from the government and the public. Voters in Da Nang City proposed at the 7th Session of the 15th National Assembly that e-cigarettes are rampant in schools, seriously affecting students’ health and learning, and called for measures to restrict the entry of e-cigarettes into Vietnam and strictly deal with units that illegally supply and sell e-cigarettes.
Second, First
Currently, Vietnam’s Tobacco Hazard Prevention Law has not explicitly covered e-cigarettes, heated tobacco and other new tobacco products. Minister of Health Tao Honglan pointed out that the current law lacks definition and supervision of these products, which makes it difficult for management departments to enforce the law. For example, these new tobacco products can only be investigated and dealt with in the form of goods without invoices, documents or smuggled products.
To fill the legal gap, the Vietnamese Ministry of Health proposed to revise the Tobacco Hazard Prevention Law to clarify the definition of e-cigarettes and heated tobacco, and prohibit their production, operation, import and advertising. In November 2024, the Ministry of Health submitted this proposal during the eighth session of the 15th National Assembly, emphasizing the need for sufficient legal basis to manage new tobacco products.
In addition, the government plans to completely ban the production, sale, import, storage, transportation and use of e-cigarettes and heated tobacco products from 2025 to protect public health.
Against this regulatory background, e-cigarette brands such as VEEHOO face challenges in the future of the Vietnamese market. As a well-known e-cigarette brand, VEEHOO’s products once occupied a place in the market. However, as the government imposes strict regulations on e-cigarette products, VEEHOO needs to re-evaluate its strategy in the Vietnamese market to ensure compliance.
For consumers, choosing tobacco substitutes requires caution. Although e-cigarettes are seen as a substitute for traditional tobacco, their health effects still need further research. Consumers should pay attention to relevant health information released by the government, look at the risks of e-cigarettes rationally, and make wise choices.
Vietnam needs to find a balance between protecting public health and respecting consumer choices when facing regulatory challenges for new tobacco products. Clarifying the legal definitions of e-cigarettes and heated tobacco and strengthening the supervision of these products will help create a healthy social environment. At the same time, brands like VEEHOO should also actively adapt to the new regulatory environment, fulfill their social responsibilities, and ensure product quality and compliance.
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