Although lawmakers have approved an e-cigarette ban starting next year, many products disguised as toys are being sold online at affordable prices.
E-commerce platforms are selling e-cigarettes at around VND100,000-200,000 (US$4-8) per unit. They are often designed to have the appearance of colorful cartoon animals.
Hoang, a vendor in Go Vap District, HCMC, said that he has products that look like teddy bear key chains, or milk boxes.
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E-cigarettes disguised as toys. Photo by VnExpress/Minh Hoang |
His e-cigarettes and e-liquids (also known as vape juice) are shipped nationwide.
“I have sold thousands of units of many varieties.”
A user can easily find instructions and reviews of e-cigarettes on YouTube and TikTok. Social media groups with more than 10,000 members also sell these products daily, mostly to young customers.
A vendor in District 12 said that he often imports a batch of 500-1,000 products each.
“Sales have risen 20% this year because there are many attractive models.”
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E-cigarettes disguised as beverage containers. Photo by VnExpress/Minh Hoang |
The National Assembly in November approved a ban on all e-cigarettes, which is set to take effect on Jan. 1.
The ban came after health authorities repeatedly warned of the negative impacts of e-cigarettes as most e-liquids contain addictive nicotine.
They said that e-cigarettes can causes issues on users’ nerves, lungs, and the cardiac system.
Market authorities say that most e-cigarettes are smuggled into the country.
In the first six months, HCMC market authorities confiscated over 16,000 e-cigarette products worth VND5.4 billion.
Hundreds of products have also been seized in Hanoi and the northern province of Thai Nguyen.
The police have discovered 35 cases of e-cigarette violations in the first six months involving 83 individuals.
They even busted a company which was producing e-cigarettes in large number using imported parts.
