Taiwan health authorities estimate that more than 40,000 teenagers nationwide use vaping products, prompting calls for stronger enforcement measures and potential amendments to existing tobacco control laws. According to the Health Promotion Administration (HPA), 3.7% of Taiwanese adolescents use e-cigarettes or vapes, including 2.1% of junior high school students and 5.1% of senior high school and vocational school students.
Officials expressed particular concern over the growing use of vaping devices to consume illicit substances such as etomidate, an anesthetic linked to an increase in drug-impaired driving incidents. HPA Deputy Director-General Wei Hsi-lun said current legislation provides limited authority to regulate vape users and confiscate devices, leading the agency to consider legal changes that could strengthen enforcement powers and increase penalties for users and distributors.
