Vietnam’s E-Cigarette Ban Jeopardizes Millions of Lives

For the millions of smokers around the world desperately looking to kick their deadly habit, access to harm reduction products is key. Yet countries such as Vietnam are intent on making that incredibly difficult. Vietnam’s comprehensive ban on e-cigarettes and heated tobacco products effectively blocks U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-authorized alternatives, drastically reducing the availability of less dangerous alternatives to cigarettes. Under National Assembly Resolution No. 173/2024/QH15, adopted on November 30, 2024, the country will ban the production, trade, import, storage, transportation, and use of electronic cigarettes and heated tobacco products starting January 1, 2025.

The Vietnamese government’s sweeping restrictions significantly disrupt international trade by restricting access to products that are allowed in countries such as the Philippines, Malaysia, and Indonesia. It’s telling that even the FDA’s overly restrictive criteria for approving harm reduction products are not good enough for Vietnam. The FDA has been on a denial spree of vaping products. As the Taxpayers Protection Alliance wrote in an amicus brief filed at the Supreme Court in the 2024 Triton case, the FDA approves products exceedingly rarely and regularly changes its mind on what is required for agency approval. Yet even this near prohibition isn’t enough for the Vietnamese government.

There is also an economic cost to banning THR products in Vietnam. These restrictions have significant repercussions such as deterring foreign investment, hindering technological progress, and restricting job creation. Additionally, the ban will almost certainly open the floodgates to illegal trade and ultimately weaken tax revenues. Countries around the world have seen an increase in black market activity after implementing bans on tobacco products, including vapes. Many jurisdictions, including Singapore, Australia, and some U.S. states with bans on flavored vape products, have experienced a surge in unregulated, dangerous products flooding the black market. Decades of evidence support the idea that banning THR products incentivizes black market sales and shifts consumers from regulated products to unsafe, unregulated alternatives, even driving consumers to more dangerous traditional cigarettes.

According to a Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System study tracking more than 240,000 individuals aged 18 to 29 years, flavored e-cigarettes restrictions were associated with 3.6 percentage point reductions in daily vaping. Restrictions were also correlated with an average 2.2 percentage point increase in daily smoking from 2018 to 2023 relative to states that pursued a more permissive approach.

If the Vietnamese government genuinely prioritizes public health, as it claims, it should support, not ban, THR products. These alternatives have been proven repeatedly to help adults quit smoking and have demonstrated effectiveness worldwide. Over 144 million people worldwide use THR products, and millions have transitioned from cigarettes to less dangerous vaping and heat-not-burn products successfully. Vietnam’s ban on THR products will limit harm reduction options for its 15 million smokers, potentially increasing the prevalence of smoking-related health issues by interfering with cessation efforts. THR products can significantly lower health risks associated with smoking, but only if governments allow their citizens access to these products.