Vietnam plans to ban all investment and business activities related to electronic cigarettes and heated tobacco products in a move aimed at protecting public health. The proposal, discussed at the National Assembly’s 50th Standing Committee session, is part of a broader revision of the Investment Law to simplify project approvals and update prohibited business sectors.
Deputy Finance Minister Nguyễn Thị Bích Ngọc said the draft law would restrict prior approval to sensitive projects, including those affecting national security, the environment, or major infrastructure. The ban aligns with Resolution 173 adopted in November 2024, which calls for a nationwide prohibition on the production, trade, import, storage, transportation, and use of e-cigarettes, heated tobacco, and other addictive substances.
Lawmakers welcomed the reforms while recommending limited exceptions for exports, scientific research, medical use, or national defense. If passed, the measure would mark Vietnam’s strongest action yet against new forms of tobacco, reinforcing the country’s commitment to public health amid the global surge in vaping and heated tobacco use.
