Vietnam’s Ministry of Health proposed requiring tobacco retailers to verify customers’ ages through chip-based national ID cards or the VNeID digital identity app when buyers appear under 18. The proposed amendments to the Law on Prevention and Control of Tobacco Harms would also ban tobacco product displays and images in retail outlets, replacing current limits that allow limited pack displays. The ministry said the measures aim to reduce youth access to tobacco, strengthen enforcement, and support retailers’ compliance with age restrictions. The draft legislation is expected to be submitted to the National Assembly for review in October.
