Laos plans to add e-cigarettes to its list of addictive substances

Laos plans to add e-cigarettes to its list of addictive substances, amid concerns over soaring youth use and worsening tobacco-related disease.

According to a Xinhua report on November 30, the Lao government plans to amend and supplement certain provisions of the Drug Prevention and Control Law, and e-cigarettes will be added to the list classified as addictive substances and precursor substances.

At the sixth regular session of the ninth legislature of the Lao National Assembly, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Public Security Vilay Lakhamfong stressed that e-cigarettes, one of the emerging social concerns, have not yet been included on Laos’ list of prohibited items.

Therefore, in the near future, e-cigarettes will be added to the list of products containing prohibited addictive substances and precursor substances.

According to an October report from the Lao Ministry of Health, tobacco-related diseases were the leading cause of death in the country in 2019, accounting for about 65%. Tobacco is estimated to cause hundreds of thousands of chronic illnesses and 6,700 deaths each year.

Tobacco use among Lao teenagers, especially e-cigarette use, is rising and becoming more common. The Ministry of Health said it is concerned that, without timely restrictions, the country will soon face a new wave of nicotine addiction from e-cigarettes, which are just as harmful as traditional tobacco.