South Korea Plans to Define All Nicotine Products as "Cigarettes"
South Korea’s cabinet has moved to close regulatory and tax loopholes for vaping devices, including those using synthetic nicotine or nicotine substitutes, amid growing concerns over vape safety. At a cabinet meeting chaired today (December 16) by Preside
South Korea’s Cabinet has moved to close regulatory and tax loopholes involving vaping products, including those using synthetic nicotine or nicotine substitute substances, amid growing concerns over their safety. At a Cabinet meeting today (December 16) chaired by President Lee Jae-myung, the government approved amendments to the Tobacco Business Act that formally classify e-liquid as a tobacco product. The revised law expands the definition of cigarettes from products made only from tobacco leaves to all products containing tobacco or nicotine, thereby bringing synthetic nicotine e-liquids under formal regulation.
President Lee emphasized that it is concerning that nicotine substitutes are being distributed without sufficient safety verification, and he called for stronger institutional oversight. During the meeting, reports were also raised about possible lung damage caused by e-liquids.
South Korea’s Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Koo Yun-cheol said products launched four months after the law takes effect will be regulated and taxed under the same standards as cigarettes. However, he also noted that regulatory authority remains limited for so-called “nicotine-free” products manufactured before the law’s implementation, stressing the need for separate management and harm assessment.
The amendment is intended to eliminate regulatory and tax blind spots while gradually strengthening safety management for nicotine substitutes.
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