China’s e-cigarette industry is entering a new round of regulatory tightening, with multiple draft policies recently opened for public consultation, according to China Business Network. Last week, the State Tobacco Monopoly Administration (STMA) released draft rules on credit management for e-cigarette manufacturers and wholesale enterprises, proposing a formal credit system that covers information collection, ratings, public disclosure, penalties for dishonesty, and credit restoration. Under the draft, companies would be graded A to D, with lower-rated firms facing stricter scrutiny on capacity expansion, investment approvals, and even licensing. This follows a STMA draft policy in December aimed at maintaining a dynamic balance between supply and demand, reinforcing total capacity control, and largely prohibiting new capacity additions except under tightly defined conditions.
Together with earlier moves — including the solicitation of 2026 national e-cigarette standards and the State Council’s December call for tougher crackdowns on tobacco-related illegal activities — the measures signal a push toward more standardized, compliance-driven industry governance. Industry observers say the policies build on the regulatory framework established in 2021, when e-cigarettes were brought under tobacco-style supervision, and are intended to curb disorderly competition, raise compliance thresholds, and accelerate industry consolidation.