Southeast Asia is increasingly split over how to deal with e-cigarettes. While some governments continue to regulate and tax vaping products, others are moving decisively toward outright bans, citing growing public health concerns.
The divergence reflects deeper disagreements over lifestyle regulation, youth protection, and the role of emerging industries in society.
Starting January 2026, Vietnam has adopted one of the region’s toughest positions yet. Through a new regulation framework, the country has effectively placed vaping in the same category as other prohibited substances, reinforcing a public health-first approach that contrasts sharply with policies elsewhere in ASEAN.
Vietnam’s Hardline Ban and Strict Enforcement
Vietnam’s policy shift is formalized under Decree No. 371/2025, which came into effect at the beginning of 2026. The regulation imposes fines of up to USD 200 on individuals caught using e-cigarettes, a measure that applies equally to local residents and foreign visitors.
Enforcement goes beyond financial penalties. Vape devices are confiscated and destroyed on the spot, underscoring the government’s zero-tolerance stance. Responsibility also extends to venue operators.
Café owners, restaurant managers, and other business operators can be fined if vaping is allowed on their premises, effectively closing off public spaces from any form of e-cigarette use.
By adopting this approach, Vietnam is signaling a shift in how vaping is framed. Rather than treating it as a personal lifestyle choice or a regulated consumer product, authorities now define it as a public health violation that requires active enforcement.
ASEAN’s Expanding “Vape Red Zone”
With this move, Vietnam becomes the sixth country in Southeast Asia to impose a comprehensive ban on e-cigarettes. It joins Singapore, Thailand, Laos, Brunei, and Cambodia in adopting prohibition as national policy.
Collectively, these countries form what can be described as a “vape red zone” across much of mainland Southeast Asia. Their shared position reflects a belief that vaping poses long-term health risks, particularly for young people, and that regulation alone may not be sufficient to curb usage.
This growing bloc also suggests a broader policy trend in the region, where precautionary bans are increasingly favored over harm-reduction arguments commonly used to defend e-cigarettes elsewhere.
A Region Split Between Bans and Regulation
Despite this tightening stance in several countries, Southeast Asia remains far from unified. Nations such as Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Philippines have chosen a different route. Instead of banning e-cigarettes, they have legalized and regulated the industry, while imposing excise taxes that generate significant state revenue.
This policy contrast has practical implications. For travelers moving across ASEAN, a vape device that is legally purchased and used in Jakarta or Kuala Lumpur can quickly become a legal liability upon arrival in Bangkok or Hanoi.
The lack of regional alignment has turned vaping into one of the most confusing lifestyle-related issues for cross-border mobility.
At a deeper level, the split highlights unresolved questions within ASEAN about whether public health risks should outweigh economic benefits, especially when industries promise investment, jobs, and tax income.
Protecting Youth and Cutting the Industry at Its Source
Vietnamese authorities consistently cite youth protection as a core motivation behind the ban. National data show that e-cigarette use among adolescents aged 13 to 17 increased from 2.6 percent in 2019 to 8.1 percent in 2023, raising concerns about nicotine dependence becoming entrenched at an early age.
Vietnam’s response does not stop at consumer behavior. From March 1, 2026, revisions to the country’s investment regulations will prohibit the production and commercial trade of e-cigarettes entirely. This upstream restriction sends a clear message to global investors that Vietnam prioritizes health outcomes over potential economic gains from the vaping industry.
The decision follows reports of more than 1,200 hospitalizations linked to vaping-related cases in 2023, reinforcing the government’s position that prevention must begin at the source, not only at the point of consumption.
Why This Matters for Southeast Asia
Vietnam’s decision highlights a growing divide within ASEAN over how societies balance personal freedom, economic opportunity, and public health responsibility.
As regional travel and integration deepen, these differences will increasingly affect daily life, from consumer habits to tourism norms.
For now, the message is clear: in parts of Southeast Asia, vaping is no longer tolerated. Where ASEAN eventually lands on this issue remains uncertain, but Vietnam’s move signals that the debate is far from settled.
