Yexian County, Henan Strengthens Vaping Market Supervision, Targeting Unlicensed Operations

China Economic Weekly - Economic Network News "Now when buying e-cigarettes, do you also need to show your ID number?" "The state stipulates that e-cigarettes cannot be sold to minors. You look quite young, and I can't accurately determine if you are an adult, so according to regulations, I need to verify your actual age through your ID." The manager of a Kunyang e-cigarette store in Yexian County explained to a consumer.

Since the beginning of this year, the Yexian Tobacco Monopoly Bureau has continuously strengthened the management of e-cigarette merchants, improved the operating records of e-cigarette retailers and unlicensed operators, regularly checked their sales accounts, and verified consumer identity information to keep track of their operations and compliance. At the same time, through display boards, promotional banners, and distributing brochures, they utilize customer WeChat service groups and the "Pingyan Weibo" public account to promote and explain the "Law of the People's Republic of China on the Protection of Minors" and the harms of e-cigarettes, building an online and offline legal education platform, broadening publicity channels, and creating a strong atmosphere to protect minors from the harms of e-cigarettes.

"In the course of business, strictly abide by national laws and regulations, do not sell e-cigarettes to minors, and prominently display warning signs stating 'No sales of e-cigarettes to minors' in the store..." This is what market regulators read to merchants as they sign the "Commitment Not to Sell E-Cigarettes to Minors."

By signing commitment letters and informing about illegal "red lines," they enhance the supervision of licensed e-cigarette merchants in the area and guide merchants to operate legally. They also focus on strengthening the crackdown on illegal operations by mobile communication stores, vending machines, and merchants around primary and secondary schools and kindergartens, forming a strong deterrent against illegal sales.

"Law enforcement personnel conduct inspections on us from time to time to check if e-cigarettes are being sold openly or secretly, and repeatedly warn us against selling cigarettes and e-cigarettes to minors," said a merchant near Yexian Experimental School.

The bureau has established a "joint supervision mechanism" with the Market Supervision Bureau, Public Security Bureau, Education and Sports Bureau, and the Internet Information Office, improving work processes for information sharing, clue reporting, supervision and inspection, and joint law enforcement, regularly conducting special inspections and joint governance of e-cigarettes, forming a regulatory synergy to effectively strengthen the protective line for minors.

"In the next steps, we will continue to increase the regulatory efforts on the e-cigarette market, and for behaviors selling e-cigarettes to minors, we will adhere to a 'zero tolerance' policy and impose severe legal penalties, continuously purifying the market environment, and taking practical actions to safeguard the healthy growth of minors. The bureau's head stated firmly. (Wang Hong)