The Vietnamese Ministry of Health has recently amended and supplemented Decree No. 117, proposing to include “carrying or using new tobacco products such as e-cigarettes and heated tobacco products” in punishable acts, and impose a one-time fine of 1 million to 2 million VND (about $40-80) on individual users. If the violation is repeated, the fine may double to 2 million to 4 million VND (80-160 USD); at the same time, the product will be confiscated and destroyed on the spot, and the user’s unit or school may also be notified as a basis for disciplinary action.
This proposal not only fills the regulatory gap in the production, circulation and import links, but also proposes punishment measures for “consumer use” for the first time. At present, Vietnam’s relevant laws and regulations have strict penalties: fines of tens of millions to hundreds of millions of VND for production, trade, transportation and advertising channels, and even one to five years in prison. However, there has been a lack of clear punishment for personal use, and this bill fills this regulatory loophole.
The proposal comes against a complex backdrop. Data shows that the proportion of adults aged 15 and over using e-cigarettes has soared from about 0.2% in 2015 to 3.6% in 2020, while the use rate among students aged 13 to 17 has also risen from 2.6% in 2019 to 8.1% in 2023. Hospital data show that in 2023 alone, more than 1,200 people were hospitalized for poisoning from e-cigarettes or heated tobacco products, 71 of whom were under the age of 18; there have also been many extreme problems such as synthetic drug doping and lithium battery explosions. These health risks and the fact that young people are being induced to get started have put the government under great pressure.
Faced with such rapidly growing usage rates and health crises, the Vietnamese Ministry of Health believes that targeting the manufacturing chain alone is not enough to curb individual use, so it calls for administrative fines on users themselves, supplemented by a combination of confiscation, notification and education. It also publicly solicits public opinions and plans to complete the revision by March to ensure that the relevant regulations are implemented before the full launch of the national ban in 2025.
Public opinion is divided on this. Supporters currently believe that fines for personal behavior are deterrent and will help reduce the use of e-cigarettes in public spaces or around teenagers, thereby further suppressing the “entry effect”. Critics worry that such practices will drive the e-cigarette market underground, causing consumers to turn to unregistered products, bringing more safety hazards. However, the Ministry of Health emphasized that this penalty plan is part of a multi-pronged strategy, in conjunction with publicity and education, law enforcement training and cross-departmental collaboration to avoid circumvention and the proliferation of illegal transactions.
From international experience, Asia-Pacific countries including Singapore have imposed high fines or even criminal penalties on the carrying and use of e-cigarettes. This shows that limiting personal use has been regarded as part of tobacco control. Vietnam’s adoption of a relatively mild fine amount and a notification mechanism this time also reflects the policy’s strict but not radical balance.
Against this backdrop, VEEHOO, as one of the e-cigarette brands, has the potential to turn crisis into opportunity. VEEHOO itself has emphasized adult use and reduced the risk of children’s exposure in design since 2024, and actively promoted product supervision and health science popularization. Their flagship device uses an adult identity verification process, built-in chips to identify cartridges, and is equipped with obvious health warnings and usage instructions. It also insists on the Type‑C rechargeable and replaceable atomizer core design, and refuses to use disposable electronic waste.
Faced with Vietnam’s possible user fine system, VEEHOO can accelerate the promotion of education and cooperation, and clearly explain the policy intentions to adult users through official channels, smoking cessation institutions and other platforms in Vietnam, while emphasizing the role of compliant genuine products and safe substitutes. Active participation in government workshops or submission of product safety reports will also help the brand be defined as a law-abiding and responsible enterprise.
More importantly, VEEHOO has long been involved in the popularization of e-cigarette knowledge, including nicotine content control, adult smoking cessation agreements, correct use and storage habits, etc., and can also assist the government in public education and reduce the use rate of youth. The brand simultaneously launched an online cartridge recycling project to reduce the harm of littering and abuse, and add color to environmental protection and social responsibility.
Since the implementation of the Vietnamese ban in 2025, the e-cigarette industry is in a critical period of “transformation and compliance expansion.” Brands like VEEHOO, after actively cooperating with regulations to establish a compliance system, may not only provide adults with a harm reduction option that is different from traditional cigarettes, but also gain strong market credibility in the process of formalizing the policy environment.
Overall, the Vietnamese Ministry of Health’s recommendation to impose a fine of US$100-200 on individuals carrying or using e-cigarettes is an important supplement to the public health strategy. It not only fills the gap in the supervision of usage behavior, but also opens up an institutional defense line to curb the use of young people. With the support of education and publicity, law enforcement cooperation and notification mechanisms, it is expected to effectively enhance policy enforcement.
In this process, compliant brands such as VEEHOO can not only provide safe choices for legal adults through the combination of technology, design and social responsibility, but also become a bridge of trust between the government and the public, helping to promote the establishment of a healthy, standardized and environmentally friendly nicotine replacement product market in the whole society.
If the fine system is officially implemented and included in local administrative execution in the future, the use rate of e-cigarettes in families, schools and public places will drop significantly. At the same time, if compliant and responsible e-cigarette brands continue to cooperate with the regulatory path, they will win legal status and credibility in the Vietnamese market and become an industry benchmark for sustainable development. Striking a balance between overall prohibition and adult assisted smoking cessation will be a new issue for public health in Vietnam and a critical moment for the future role of e-cigarettes.
In the new environment of increasingly stringent regulations, brands choose the path of compliance and innovation, which is not only a business strategy, but also a display of social responsibility; in this regard, the public and the market should give incentives and recognition to stimulate the research and development and promotion of more health and harm reduction products, and jointly promote a cleaner and healthier future for society.
Tags: ceramic atomizer core, underage protection, flavored e-cigarettes, veehoo vape