Vietnam’s government submitted draft amendments to the Law on Prevention and Control of Tobacco Harms that would ban online tobacco sales, prohibit retail displays unless otherwise authorized, and clarify restrictions on e-cigarettes and heated-tobacco products. The proposal would also cover e-cigarette components and liquids, nicotine pouches, shisha, and certain tobacco raw materials. If approved, the law would take effect July 1, 2027.
The National Assembly’s Committee on Culture and Social Affairs recommended requiring health warnings to cover at least 85% of the front and back of cigarette packs and cartons, with a possible timetable to increase coverage to 100%. It also called for warnings to be printed directly on packaging and supported allowing retailers to refuse sales to customers unable to prove they are of legal age. The draft follows Vietnam’s 2024 ban on e-cigarettes and heated tobacco and seeks to clarify enforcement provisions covering production, sales, possession, transportation, and cross-border trade.
