Puyang Launches Multi-pronged Special Campaign to Regulate the E-cigarette Market

As e-cigarettes have been brought under the tobacco regulatory system, the Puyang Municipal Administration for Market Regulation, taking the lead and working together with the municipal tobacco bureau, public security bureau, and other departments, has gradually established and improved a joint coordination mechanism for e-cigarette oversight. The city has continued to step up efforts to clean up and crack down on new tobacco-related products, new platforms, and new sales channels, promptly investigate illegal new products such as "milk tea cups" and "cola cans," conduct in-depth inspections and rectification of illegal tobacco-related goods and links on internet platforms, and continuously improve the effectiveness and standard of e-cigarette regulation.

To create momentum for the campaign, Puyang has used a combination of "online + offline" measures to publicize laws, regulations, and related policies on e-cigarettes. It has actively implemented decisions and arrangements concerning the protection of minors, maintained strict supervision around school areas at all times, and focused on outreach to merchants near primary and secondary schools as well as parents of students. The main messages have been the illegality of selling e-cigarettes to minors and the harm caused by minors using e-cigarettes. The public is encouraged to actively report violations, helping create a strong regulatory atmosphere and firmly build a solid line of defense to protect minors from tobacco-related harm.

Alongside strong publicity efforts, Puyang has also intensified inspections, emphasizing routine patrols to ensure the quality of enforcement. Inspections have been carried out at the business premises, warehouses, and other locations of e-cigarette market entities, with a focus on sales records and sales flows to ensure every business and every outlet is checked in place. Licensed e-cigarette merchants are required to post warning notices and sign commitment letters, while authorities strengthen legal education through case-based interpretation and warnings to create a deterrent effect. For unlicensed e-cigarette merchants, files are established outlet by outlet and notices of business compliance obligations are signed. Those unlicensed operators who repeatedly refuse to comply are resolutely shut down.

In the e-cigarette market rectification campaign, Puyang has emphasized interdepartmental coordination to improve enforcement results. The city has clarified regulatory priorities for various types of e-cigarette market entities and strengthened supervision over illegal merchants in the sales process. It has also enhanced information sharing and actively explored mechanisms and procedures for regulating illegal activity through internet channels. By leveraging the advantages of departmental coordination and comprehensive law enforcement, Puyang is forming a normalized joint regulatory mechanism for the e-cigarette market to ensure the campaign delivers lasting results.

According to reports, since e-cigarettes were brought under regulation, Puyang has shut down 35 unlicensed retail stores and removed 2 sales outlets near primary schools, secondary schools, and kindergartens. It has investigated 53 e-cigarette-related cases, including 22 cases involving sales of e-cigarettes to minors, 27 cases involving the sale of illegally manufactured e-cigarettes such as flavored e-cigarettes, and 4 cases involving shipments exceeding mailing limits. It has also handled 5 criminal e-cigarette-related cases, including 1 case involving "head-spinning e-cigarettes."