Vietnam has imposed strict fines and mandated the destruction of e-cigarettes and heated tobacco products under a new government decree as part of its nationwide effort to protect public health.
The decree, approved by Vietnam’s National Assembly in November 2025 and effective from 31 December 2025, prohibits the production, importation, and use of e-cigarettes and heated tobacco products.
Individuals using these products face fines of VND 3 million to VND 5 million (about USD 115 to 190), while property owners permitting their use will be fined VND 5 to VND 10 million (approximately USD 190 to 380), with organizational fines doubled, Vietnamese media outlets reported.
Vietnam’s Ministry of Health cited severe health risks associated with e-cigarettes and heated tobacco, including nicotine addiction, cancer, cardiovascular and respiratory diseases, acute lung injury, and mental health disorders.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), e-cigarette liquids contain nicotine, flavorings, and other chemicals, while the aerosols they produce include toxic substances such as carcinogens, heavy metals, and ultrafine particles.
Usage among Vietnamese youth has risen significantly. Adult prevalence increased from 0.2 percent in 2015 to 3.6 percent in 2020. Among students aged 13 to 17, use jumped from 2.6 percent in 2019 to 8.1 percent in 2023. In 2023, 1,224 people were hospitalized due to illnesses or poisoning linked to these products.
Vietnam becomes the sixth country in Southeast Asia, following Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Laos, Singapore, and Thailand, and one of 43 globally to ban e-cigarettes and heated tobacco products.
Laos introduced similar measures through amendments to its National Tobacco Control Law in late 2021, with reinforced regulations announced in May 2024. Recent enforcement efforts in Laos resulted in 288 online stores promoting e-cigarettes, with a combined membership exceeding 759,599, being taken offline through joint action by the Ministry of Health, supported by WHO and Meta.


