Protecting Future Generations from Nicotine Addiction

Youth smokers, particularly in low- and middle-income countries, are a huge potential market for the industry's future growth. Tobacco companies target children and youths, whom they refer to as "replacement smokers" to replace older smokers who either quit or die from tobacco-related diseases.

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.

Internet advertising in Vietnam
Internet advertising in Philippines

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 Kiddie pack in Indonesia
Lao PDR Ban (2009)
Malaysia Ban (2010)
Myanmar Ban (2006)
Philippines No ban Kiddie pack in Philippines
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.

Tobacco vending machine

Ban the sale or supply of toys or sweets that resemble tobacco products

Brunei Ban (2005) Candy cigarette
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.

No vaping sign
Singapore

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/

ESD Resource Hub
QR Code

Tobacco/Nicotine-free generation: A global overview

hero banner

Support Tobacco Control in ASEAN

Your donation helps strengthen tobacco control efforts across Southeast Asia, funding critical programs that save lives, promote healthier communities and protect future generations from the harms of tobacco. Every contribution makes a difference.