smokeless.vn

Are nicotine pouches legal in Vietnam?

Written by
SmokeLess Team
Updated
Reading time
6 minutes
Sources
3 primary sources

Short answer

Nicotine pouches are not named in the Law on Prevention and Control of Tobacco Harms (2012), and not named in Resolution 173/2024/QH15. Not being named is not the same as being permitted. Ministry of Health Report 211/BC-BYT proposes extending the ban to oral nicotine products.

Key points

  • Not named in the Law on Prevention and Control of Tobacco Harms (2012).
  • Not named in Resolution 173/2024/QH15.
  • Not being named is not the same as being permitted.
  • Report 211/BC-BYT proposes extending the prohibition.

The two instruments that matter

The Law on Prevention and Control of Tobacco Harms (2012) is the framework instrument. It does not name nicotine pouches.

Resolution 173/2024/QH15 prohibits electronic cigarettes and heated tobacco from 1 January 2025. It does not name nicotine pouches either.

Why that does not mean permitted

A product not named in a prohibition does not automatically become lawful. It may simply not have been considered yet, or be waiting to be classified.

This is why we describe the position as unresolved rather than permitted.

The proposal on the table

Ministry of Health Report 211/BC-BYT proposes extending the prohibition to oral nicotine products. If that passes, we remove every link to the product and update these pages to the new rule.

The tariff code

The applicable line is HS 2404.91.90, the subheading for oral nicotine products other than cessation preparations.

A tariff code is a customs classification used to assess duty. It is not a statement about legality and should not be read as one.

Why we publish this

smokeless.vn is run by VinaPouches, a company that sells nicotine pouches. We have a commercial interest in the answer to this question, so we state what the instruments say and do not draw the conclusion for you.

Common questions

So are nicotine pouches banned?
Resolution 173/2024/QH15 names electronic cigarettes and heated tobacco, and does not name nicotine pouches. We state what the text says and draw no legal conclusion. The position can change.
What tariff code applies?
HS 2404.91.90, the subheading for oral nicotine products other than cessation preparations. A tariff code is a customs classification, not a statement about legality.

Sources for this article

  • Law on Prevention and Control of Tobacco Harms (2012)National Assembly of Vietnam
  • Resolution 173/2024/QH15National Assembly of Vietnam
  • Report 211/BC-BYTMinistry of Health, Vietnam