The Department of Legal Affairs of the Ministry of Health held a workshop in Hanoi on December 25 to provide information on an implementation plan for the National Assembly (NA) resolution regarding the ban on electronic cigarettes and heated tobacco products.
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Dinh Thi Thu Thuy, deputy director of the said department, said that Resolution No. 173, issued on November 30, mentions the NA's decision to ban production, trade, import, storage, transportation and the use of electronic cigarettes, heated tobacco products and addictive or harmful substances from 2025. The decision aims to preserve public health and ensure social order and security, with the government responsible for leading the implementation implemented.
The Ministry of Health has been tasked by the government with developing a decree to amend and supplement its Decree No. 117/2020, which regulates administrative sanctions in the health sector. The new decree will introduce sanctions for the “storage” and “use” of electronic cigarettes, heated tobacco products and harmful substances, as well as authorities responsible for combating these violations.
Nguyên Tuân Lâm, representative of the World Health Organization (WHO) in Vietnam, suggested that the ministry limit supply chains, in particular by targeting smuggling, illegal sales and advertising of these products.
He said stricter enforcement should be implemented at border checkpoints and retail outlets, along with significant fines to deter violations. He also proposed organizing public awareness campaigns similar to wearing helmets or combating drunk driving, as well as regular surveys to assess usage rates and the effectiveness of regulations .
Currently, Article 190 of the Vietnamese Penal Code provides for penalties ranging from a fine of 100 million dong (3,932 USD) to one billion dong or imprisonment of 1 to 5 years for the production or trade of prohibited products. Article 191 imposes fines of 50 million VND to 300 million VND or imprisonment of 6 months to 3 years for storing or transporting these products. However, there are no specific regulations yet to penalize the use of electronic cigarettes or heated tobacco products.
VNA/CVN
