Youth smoking therefore remains the front
line of the tobacco epidemic, as youths are more
susceptible to tobacco marketing, and nicotine
addiction is more entrenched in the developing
adolescent brain. On average, most smokers start
smoking before the age of 20.
The tobacco industry keeps inventing new ways to
sell harm through novel marketing schemes,
attractive and colourful packaging, new flavors, and
new products to appeal to the young and first-time
smokers. In ASEAN, menthol and flavoured
cigarettes are unregulated and widely available.
Single-stick cigarette sales, which increase
accessibility to cigarettes, are banned in all but in
three ASEAN countries (Indonesia, Philippines,
and Vietnam), while the sale of kiddie packs
(containing less than 20 sticks) is still allowed in
Indonesia and Philippines.
The emergence and rapid market growth of a new
and wider range of alternative nicotine products
such as electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS,
which include e-cigarettes and are available in
thousands of flavours) and heated tobacco products
(HTPs) are a new challenge for preventing nicotine
addiction and other health harms. Such gadgets,
with their sleek designs and flashy marketing, easily
Ban TAPS of tobacco products and ESD (ENDS and HTPs) via internet in ASEAN
Country | Tobacco products | ESD (ENDS and HTPs) |
---|---|---|
Brunei | Ban (2005) | Ban imitation products (2005) |
Indonesia | No ban | No ban |
Cambodia | Ban (2015) | Ban ENDS (2014), HTPs (2021) |
Lao PDR | Ban (2010) | Ban (2020) |
Malaysia | Ban (2004) | Ban HTPs (2020)*, ENDS (2024) |
Myanmar | Ban (2006) | No ban |
Philippines | Ban (2008) | Regulated (2022) |
Singapore | Ban (1993) | Ban (2016) |
Thailand | Ban (2017) | Ban (2017) |
Vietnam | Ban (2013) | No ban |
*In Malaysia, the online sale of tobacco products was regulated under Regulation 10A, of the Control of Tobacco Product Regulation (CTPR), 2004 under the Food Act 1983. Heated tobacco product was classified as a cigarette in 2020, hence it was regulated similar to other tobacco products.


Countries with flavouring bans or restrictions: A global view
- Complete ban
- Partial ban
- No ban
Over 30 countries worldwide prohibit flavours in tobacco products.
Minimum legal age for the purchase, possession, and use of tobacco
- 21 years old
- 20 years old
- 18 years old
Raising the minimum legal age for tobacco use to at least 21 years old (ideally 25 years old) helps reduce youth initiation and protects the adolescent brain against nicotine addiction and harm to brain development. Despite most countries banning sales to minors, it is estimated 24 million children aged 13–15 years around the world smoke.
Ban the sale of kiddie packs (less than 20 sticks per pack) in ASEAN
Kiddie packs | ||
---|---|---|
Brunei | Ban (2005) | |
Cambodia | Ban (2015) | |
Indonesia | No ban | ![]() |
Lao PDR | Ban (2009) | |
Malaysia | Ban (2010) | |
Myanmar | Ban (2006) | |
Philippines | No ban | ![]() |
Singapore | Ban (2002) | |
Thailand | Ban (2017) | |
Vietnam | Ban (2016) |
Ban the sale of tobacco products from vending machines and the distribution of free tobacco products
Vending machines | Distribution of free tobacco products to the public | |
---|---|---|
Brunei | Ban (2005) | Ban (2005) |
Cambodia | Ban (2005) | No ban |
Indonesia | Ban (2012) | Ban (2012) |
Lao PDR | Ban (2009) | Ban (2021) |
Malaysia | Ban (2004) | Ban (2004) |
Myanmar | Ban (2006) | Ban (2006) |
Philippines | Ban (2003)* | Ban (2003) |
Singapore | Ban (1993) | Ban (1993) |
Thailand | Ban (2017) | Ban (2017) |
Vietnam | Ban (2013) | Ban (2013) |
*Vending machine is banned except at point-of-sale establishment and unless there is an age verification mechanism.

Ban the sale or supply of toys or sweets that resemble tobacco products
Brunei | Ban (2005) | ![]() |
Cambodia | No ban | |
Indonesia | Ban (2012) | |
Lao PDR | Ban (2009) | |
Malaysia | Ban (2004) | |
Myanmar | Ban (2006) | |
Philippines | Ban (2003) | |
Singapore | Ban (1993) | |
Thailand | Ban (2017) | |
Vietnam | Ban (2013) |
5.6 million children alive today will ultimately die early from smoking if we do not do more to reduce tobacco use.
Status of Electronic Smoking Device (ESD) ban in ASEAN
Country | Ban on ESD* (ENDS, HTPs and Shisha/hookah) | Regulated nicotine (and/or other) content/s of e-cigarettes | No ban |
---|---|---|---|
Brunei (2005) | ✓ | ||
Cambodia (2014)** | ✓ | ||
Lao PDR (2018) | ✓ | ||
Singapore (2010) | ✓ | ||
Thailand (2014) | ✓ | ||
Indonesia | ✓ | ||
Malaysia*** | ✓ | ||
Myanmar | ✓ | ||
Philippines | ✓ | ||
Vietnam | ✓ |
*Electronic smoking device (ESD) means Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems / Electronic Non-Nicotine Delivery Systems (ENDS/ENNDS), Heated Tobacco Products (HTPs), and other new and emerging smoking devices, including consumables, e.g. e-liquids and heat sticks.
**Cambodia National Authority for Combating Drugs passed a circular banning the importation, trafficking, sale, and use of HTP on 18 March 2021.
***E-liquid and gel of electronic cigarette was subjected to an ad valorem excise tax of 10% and an excise duty of MYR 0.40 (USD 0.08) per millilitre of e-liquid starting 1 January 2021 (for non-nicotine) and 1 April 2023 (for nicotine). The Malaysian National Fatwa Council has declared all vapour and shisha products as "haram" (forbidden in Islam). Five out of 13 states (Johor, Kelantan, Kedah, Penang, and Terengganu) have banned the sale of e-cigarettes under the state jurisdiction.

Singapore: Ban on emerging tobacco products
In 2014, Singapore banned emerging tobacco products including smokeless cigars, smokeless cigarillos and smokeless cigarettes; dissolvable tobacco or nicotine; any product containing nicotine or tobacco that may be used topically for application, by implant or injection into any parts of the body; and any solution or substance of which tobacco or nicotine is a constituent that is intended to be used with an electronic nicotine delivery system or a vaporizer (e-cigarettes); nasal snuff, oral snus gutkha, khaini and zarda, as stipulated in the Tobacco (Control of Advertisements and Sale) (Prohibited Tobacco Products) Regulations 2014.
Electronic Smoking Devices (ESD) Resource Hub
SEATCA's ESD resource hub serves as a one-stop resource to help you tackle the problem of ESDs, including electronic nicotine delivery systems and heated tobacco products. It provides access to a collection of scienctific evidence - research papers, publications, reading materials - as well as advocacy materials (powerpoint presentations, social media cards, videos, and others), that you can use and adapt to your own campaigns. To know more, visit the resource hub and check out the new materials on ESDs here: https://seatca.org/esd-resource-hub/


Tobacco/Nicotine-free generation: A global overview

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