Vietnam’s Minister Nguyen Hong Dien: No Testing of E-Cigarettes
In a recent session of the National Assembly, Minister of Industry and Trade Nguyen Hong Dien addressed the growing concerns surrounding e-cigarettes and heated cigarettes in Vietnam. While tobacco is a regulated business under the Law on Prevention of Tobacco Harms and the Government’s Decree 67/2013, new generation cigarettes have not been clearly defined in the relevant legal documents, leading to a long-standing legal loophole.
Minister Dien clarified that since the beginning of his term, the Ministry of Industry and Trade has never proposed piloting the circulation of e-cigarettes. He acknowledged that due to the lack of proper management tools, e-cigarettes have been rampantly and strongly developing in the market since the end of the previous term. At that time, the Ministry had proposed and received permission from the previous Government to pilot the management of this new type of tobacco product.
Ministry Aligns with Health Ministry’s Stance on Banning Harmful Products
However, when consulting with various ministries and branches, while many agreed with the initial proposal, some ministries, particularly the Ministry of Health, strongly opposed the move, citing the harmful effects of these products on public health. As a result, Minister Dien confirmed that since the beginning of his term, the Ministry of Industry and Trade has aligned with the Ministry of Health’s stance, agreeing that e-cigarettes and heated cigarettes are harmful and should be banned.
“We persistently propose to promptly establish a legal framework to ban these products. The Ministry of Industry and Trade has never suggested continuing to test this project,” emphasized Minister Dien, addressing the concerns raised by Representative Hoang Anh from Gia Lai province.
Strengthening Inspection and Management Measures
Minister Dien further elaborated on the actions taken by the Ministry of Industry and Trade to combat the illegal trade and distribution of e-cigarettes. The Ministry has consistently refused to grant business licenses and registration notices to e-commerce websites involved in the e-cigarette business. Moreover, the Ministry has directed market management authorities to intensify inspections and handle hundreds of cases, imposing fines and collecting them for the state budget.
To address the current legal loophole, the Ministry of Industry and Trade has agreed to propose to the Government the prompt issuance of a strict and clear policy on the management of new generation tobacco products. This policy may involve amending relevant regulations or enacting new laws, empowering industry levels to thoroughly tackle the problem.
In the absence of a specific law, the Ministry continues to instruct market management authorities to collaborate with relevant agencies in strengthening inspections and strictly handling those engaged in the trade, storage, and transportation of e-cigarettes and heated cigarettes, in line with the Prime Minister’s directives on enhancing the management of new generation tobacco.
Combating Smuggling and Raising Awareness
Minister Dien emphasized that the current violations are primarily attributed to cigarette smuggling, necessitating strict management at entry points and borders. The Ministry pledges to coordinate with relevant ministries and branches to intensify media campaigns, consider incorporating the harmful effects of cigarettes and new generation tobacco products into school curricula, and bolster local government management efforts.
Strengthening E-Commerce Regulations
Addressing the management of pharmaceutical products, cosmetics, and e-commerce, Minister Dien highlighted the Ministry of Industry and Trade’s responsibility in regulating the chemical industry for medicinal ingredient production and overseeing e-commerce activities.
The Ministry has been actively collaborating with relevant authorities to enhance inspections and prevent the transport of imported counterfeit and substandard products, as well as violations of intellectual property rights. Efforts have also been made to swiftly tackle the epidemic situation of unreasonable product purchases and monitor price lists and unjustified price hikes.
Regarding illegal advertisements in the e-commerce environment, the Ministry has mandated platform owners to take responsibility for their business activities and proactively detect violations. The Ministry has instructed platform owners to remove infringing content and supervise the origin of functional foods and cosmetics.
Minister Dien called upon the National Assembly to expedite the review and approval of the E-Commerce Law, the Pharmacy Law, and the Chemicals Law to establish a more robust management framework for the pharmaceutical, cosmetic, and e-commerce sectors.
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