This text will reveal the historical evolution and future predictions of China’s vape policy.
From 2017 to 2023, the Chinese government has been tightening regulations on the vape industry. Government departments such as the State Tobacco Monopoly Administration and the State Administration for Market Regulation have successively proposed policies such as special inspections of the vape market to regulate the industry in China.
In the future, the entry threshold for the Chinese vape industry will be higher, ensuring product quality. The promotion, sale, and usage of vapes will be strictly limited, and exclusive licenses may be required. For manufacturers, transformation and upgrading are becoming urgent.
- The Evolution of China’s vape and other new tobacco product industry policies from 2017 to 2023:
May 15, 2017 – The State Tobacco Monopoly Administration issued a notice to local tobacco monopoly administrations titled “Notice on Strengthening Supervision of Tobacco Monopoly Market.” The notice explicitly stated that “heating non-burning tobacco products belong to tobacco products” and should be “regulated according to law” since they “seriously disrupt the normal market order and have the potential to subvert the traditional tobacco market and industry structure.”
June 2017 – County and city tobacco monopoly administrations in China issued “Notices Prohibiting the Sale of Imported New-Type Cigarettes” to retailers, pointing out that the related products currently sold on the market enter the domestic market through illegal channels, greatly disturbing the operating order of the cigarette market. It further clarified that “currently, domestic Chinese companies do not produce or sell, nor do they have legitimate channels to import heating non-burning tobacco products from overseas. The related products sold on the market enter the country through illegal channels.”
October 2017 – The State Tobacco Monopoly Administration formulated and issued a notice titled “Notice on Carrying Out Identification and Testing of New-Type Cigarette Products,” which included IQOS, GLO, Ploom, and REVO in the catalog of cigarette identification and testing.
November 2017 – The National Tobacco Quality Supervision and Inspection Center conducted identification and testing of “cigarette cartridges” samples submitted by relevant units for IQOS. Nicotine, four tobacco-specific N-nitrosamines, and proportions of right-handed nicotine fluorescent isomers consistent with general tobacco and tobacco products were detected. It was determined that “cigarette cartridges” contained tobacco-specific components and were made from tobacco leaves. Therefore, IQOS “cigarette cartridges” such as Marboro, PARLIAMENT, HEETS are regarded as tobacco monopoly products and fall under the supervision of the Tobacco Monopoly Law.
October 2017 – The national mandatory standard for Chinese vapes was officially launched, jointly drafted by the China National Tobacco Standardization Research Center, Zhengzhou Tobacco Research Institute of China Tobacco Corporation, National Tobacco Quality Supervision and Inspection Center, and Shanghai Institute of New Tobacco Products Research.
August 28, 2018 – The State Administration for Market Regulation and the State Tobacco Monopoly Administration of China jointly issued the “Notice on Prohibiting the Sale of vapes to Minors” (hereinafter referred to as the “Notice”), which requires the prohibition of promoting and selling vape products to minors and the blocking of vape-related keywords on major e-commerce platforms.
October 30, 2019 – The State Administration for Market Regulation and the State Tobacco Monopoly Administration of China jointly issued the “Notice on Further Protecting Minors from the Harm of vapes” (hereinafter referred to as the “Notice”), which further prohibits the promotion and sale of vape products to minors and comprehensively bans the sale of vapes and related products on major e-commerce platforms and mini-programs.
August 14, 2020 – The State Tobacco Monopoly Administration and the State Administration for Market Regulation of China issued a notification on the implementation of a special inspection action plan for the vape market. The special action lasted for two months (July 10, 2020 – September 10, 2020) and the main tasks included comprehensive clearance of vape information on the Internet, comprehensive inspection of physical vape stores, and comprehensive inspection of new channels such as vape vending machines.
March 22, 2021 – The Industry Policies and Regulations Department of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology of China publicly solicited opinions on the draft of the decision to amend the “Implementing Regulations of the People’s Republic of China Tobacco Monopoly Law” (draft for comments) drafted by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology and the State Tobacco Monopoly Administration, planning to regulate new tobacco products such as vapes based on the relevant regulations for cigarettes.
June 18, 2021 – The State Tobacco Monopoly Administration and the State Administration for Market Regulation of China issued a notification on the “Guarding Growth” special action plan for protecting minors from the harm of tobacco (including vapes). The special action lasted for three months (June 15, 2021 – September 15, 2021) and the main tasks included implementing the requirement of not setting sales outlets near schools, strictly cracking down on illegal sales of tobacco to minors, and strengthening the supervision of the vape market.
November 26, 2021 – The State Council of China issued a decision on amending the “Implementing Regulations of the People’s Republic of China Tobacco Monopoly Law.” The decision added a new clause as the 65th article, stating that “new tobacco products such as vapes shall be regulated in accordance with the relevant provisions of this regulation on cigarettes.” This decision came into effect from the date of its announcement (November 10, 2021).
November 30, 2021 – The draft of the Chinese national mandatory standard for vapes was released on the National Standardization Plan Platform, initiating the public opinion collection phase. It specifies the terms and definitions of vapes, design and raw materials, technical requirements, testing methods, markings and accompanying documents, and emphasizes that the document applies to vapes and vape components. It also includes normative reference documents.
December 2, 2021 – The State Tobacco Monopoly Administration of China publicly solicited opinions on the “Management Measures for vapes (draft for comments).” The “Management Measures” clarify the definition of vapes, the objects of regulation, the regulatory procedures and measures, and taxation matters.
March 11, 2022 – The national standard for “vapes” (second draft for soliciting opinions) added flavor restrictions and refined various standards.
April 2022 – “Management Measures for vapes” were issued, strengthening the continuous regulation of domestic vape operations in China while weakening the regulatory efforts for export vapes. The national standard GB 41700 for “vapes” underwent a second revision, reducing the permissible additives in aerosols.
May 2022 – The “Management Measures for vapes” came into effect, further regulating specific details and defining vapes, cartridges, devices, and aerosols. During the same period, the China National Tobacco Monopoly Administration issued related policies that set a transitional period of five months.
August 2022 – The China National Tobacco Monopoly Administration issued a notice on the implementation rules for the tobacco monopoly license management of vape production and wholesale enterprises. The State Taxation Administration set the consumption tax rates for the vape industry at 36% and 11% for commercial wholesale.
October 1, 2022 – The “National Standard for vapes” came into effect, comprehensively regulating production, wholesale, sales, inspection, and other aspects. All operators engaged in the production and operation of vapes were required to promptly complete the administrative licensing procedures in accordance with legal requirements to avoid potential criminal legal risks.
October 31, 2022 – The China National Tobacco Monopoly Administration issued a notice on the application and handling of vape products, stating the procedures for filing export vape products through the national unified vape technical evaluation.
December 2022 – The China National Tobacco Monopoly Administration issued a notice on the pricing and management of vapes, defining the pricing of vapes involved in cases. From March 6 to April 25, a comprehensive inspection and clean-up of the vape market was conducted.
In 2023, China introduced several favorable policies regarding vapes. Particularly, strict measures were taken against the illegal sale of flavored vapes that did not comply with mandatory national standards. The China National Tobacco Monopoly Administration cracked down on the sale of disguised and modified vapes such as milk tea cups and cola cans. The aim was to ensure the overall health and safety of the public, especially the physical and mental well-being of young people.
On March 1, 2023, the China National Tobacco Monopoly Administration issued a notice on conducting a special inspection to regulate the order of the vape market. The notice emphasized the need to consolidate regulatory enforcement achievements, standardize the vape market order, protect the rights and interests of legitimate market entities and consumers, and promote the legalization and standardized governance of the vape industry.
Looking into the future, Chinese policies regarding vapes will focus on scientific implementation and technological upgrading. The government will continue to enforce comprehensive inspections, ensuring compliance with national safety standards and trade certifications, as well as strict quality control to guarantee the safety and health of the vape industry.
Additionally, emerging technologies such as cloud computing, social media, and the Internet of Things will be employed to further develop and transform the vape industry. Furthermore, the government will strengthen regulatory measures on the vape industry.
With the continuous improvement of policies, the sales prospects of the vape market in China are expected to change positively. Lower prices of vapes will reduce the burden on consumers and drive the usage of vapes, thereby promoting sales in the industry.
Technological advancements will enhance the safety and sustainability of vapes, increasing consumer confidence in these products. Moreover, local governments will implement various supportive policies to accelerate the development of vape technology and expand the market of vape users, promoting sustainable growth.
In summary, Chinese government policies and market expectations indicate a positive trend in the development and sales of the vape industry. As of 2023, there have been stricter policy reforms and health inspections, widespread application of new technologies, lower prices for vapes, and steady growth in the vape market.
However, due to the potential health risks associated with vapes, the Chinese government will strictly limit offline sales and ensure that consumers can purchase compliant products to safeguard their health.
