The head of Indonesia's Food and Drug Agency (BPOM), Taruna Ikrar, warned that the country is facing an "emergency" related to youth smoking and e-cigarette use. According to the agency, the smoking rate among children and adolescents has reached 7.4%, equivalent to more than 5 million minors nationwide.
An anti-smoking programme was held at Mai Dich Secondary School in Hanoi on May 25 in response to World No Tobacco Day (May 31) and the National No Tobacco Week running from May 25-31.
Arvindo also urged policymakers to adopt science-based regulation and consider vaping’s harm-reduction potential, citing a 2025 JAMA Network study showing e-cigarettes were the most commonly used quit aid in England.
The ban was issued by the Myanmar Ministry of Health under authorisation from the Cabinet on February 18. It prohibits the importation, exportation, sale, possession, storage, carrying, distribution, use, and consumption of e-cigarettes and related accessories, as well as electronic shisha.
WHO Representative in Vietnam Dr Angela Pratt said, “WHO is delighted with the decision to include e-cigarettes and HTPs in the list of banned enterprises under the Investment Law, without exceptions. This is crucial for upholding the National Assembly’s ban on these products – Resolution 173.”
“Our duty is to protect future generations through strong, decisive and evidence-based policies.”
The WHO Director-General noted that tobacco companies specifically target young people with flavoured products and that in some countries, these items are sold near schools, contributing to rising use among youth.
Vietnam has achieved many remarkable results, such as the smoking rate among adults decreased from 23.8% in 2010 to 20.8% in 2021. The rate of exposure to secondhand smoke decreased from 73.1% to 45.6%.
To prevent further harm to the health of children and adolescents, Thailand has introduced four key measures, including a total ban on vaping in all ministry-run schools and offices nationwide.
The Thai government has stepped up suppression of e-cigarettes and related products, covering not only smugglers and distributors but also smokers.
E-cigarettes are available at thousands of shops on streets in major cities and tourist provinces across Thailand, and their market value is estimated at over 5 billion THB (150 million USD) a year.
The Ministry of Health’s Department of Legal Affairs held a workshop in Hanoi on December 25 to provide information about a plan to implement the National Assembly (NA)'s resolution involving the ban of e-cigarettes and heated tobacco products.
The Indonesian Ministry of Health revealed on December 17 that other countries' efforts to increase cigarette excise can reduce consumption by 10-15%, with increasing the Retail Selling Price (HJE) of cigarettes and e-cigarettes deterring young smokers from purchasing them.
After more than 12 years of implementing tobacco control measures, the rate of active smoking among adults in Vietnam has decreased, but ultimately, it is still high when compared globally.
E-cigarettes and heated tobacco products were at the centre of a question-and-answer event at the ongoing 8th session of the 15th National Assembly (NA) on November 11.
The number of hospitalisations due to electronic cigarette use has been increasing recently, with most cases involving young patients experiencing acute poisoning.
Vietnam hopes to get further support from the World Health Organisation (WHO) to restructure and consolidate its preventive healthcare system, Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha said on May 13.
The Ministry of Health (MoH) has proposed a ban on e-cigarettes, while the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT) wants to legalise them by allowing a pilot management programme to control the products.
