Many "eye-catching" sales tricks
According to reporters' records, on some groups, groups and fan pages related to e-cigarettes (VAPE) with thousands of followers, sales are no longer as public and dense as before, but are still maintained regularly. Posts limit directly mentioning products, using "hidden" words or substitute symbols, and switching to exchanging through private messages to avoid being detected.
In the role of someone who needs to buy, we contacted account Z.T.D - a contact point that publicly discloses phone numbers, Zalo and receives express delivery from Ho Chi Minh City to provinces. After just a few messages, this person sent more than 20 types of electronic cigarette essential oils with many different flavors.
The 30ni type is for beginners because nicotine is lighter. Those who smoke for a long time use 60ni, which is cold and nicotine is higher," the seller advised. The price of each bottle of essential oil ranges from 280,000 - 290,000 VND, depending on the type.
Notably, when mentioning the transportation of e-cigarettes to Hanoi, the seller did not hesitate to share ways to "circumvent the law". "Besides Hanoi, this time e-cigarettes are controlled and tightened, so many people find it difficult to buy, so there are also many orders transferred from Ho Chi Minh City. The product will be renamed on the shipping invoice, and customers will receive it after 3-4 days," this person affirmed.
Similarly, in an exchange with another seller in Hanoi, this person said that there are currently only types with high nicotine content. When asked about the delivery method, this person admitted that the transportation of e-cigarettes is currently facing many obstacles because many shippers are wary of orders of this type.
From the specific cases above, it can be seen that after the tightened regulations were issued, e-cigarette trading activities did not disappear but shifted to a more discreet form, mainly through social networks and messaging applications, with increasingly sophisticated transaction processes.
Despite the ban, e-cigarettes still appear in public places
Not only existing in cyberspace, the use of e-cigarettes in reality is still common. Surveys at some water stalls and cafes show that many people still freely use e-cigarettes in public places.
At a shop in Cau Giay (Hanoi), we recorded a man continuously using e-cigarettes, exhaling thick smoke in the common space, regardless of the presence of people around.
According to Resolution No. 173/2024/QH15, from January 1, 2025, the production, trading, import, transportation and use of e-cigarettes are completely prohibited. Violators may be administratively fined from 1 million to 100 million VND, or even criminally handled depending on the severity.
In addition, from May 15, Decree 90/2026/ND-CP stipulating penalties for administrative violations in the field of healthcare also takes effect, in which a fine of 3 million to 5 million VND is applied to the act of using electronic cigarettes and heated tobacco.
Reality shows that, although the legal corridor has been established with specific sanctions, controlling the purchase and sale and use of e-cigarettes is still facing many challenges, especially in the online environment – where transactions easily "hide" in many different forms.
From a legal perspective, Dr. Dang Van Cuong - Head of Chinh Phap Law Office, said that there are currently regulations on administrative penalties and criminal handling for the act of trading, storing, and using e-cigarettes. This is a drastic move to prevent and combat the harmful effects of this type of product. According to him, it is necessary to strengthen the application of technology in purchasing management, apply special consumption tax to limit demand; and at the same time promote propaganda and education in schools, families and the community to reduce the habit of using e-cigarettes, especially among young people.
It can be seen that, in order for the regulations to become practical, in addition to completing the legal corridor, the synchronous involvement of functional agencies in inspection and supervision, especially in cyberspace, is needed. At the same time, raising people's awareness, especially young people, about the harmful effects of e-cigarettes is considered a fundamental solution, contributing to limiting the situation of illegal trading and use that is still developing complicatedly today.
