Ministry of Health to Amend Law: Possession of E-cigarettes to Face Confiscation and Fines up to 10,000 TWD

Central News Agency, Taipei, May 28. With drug-impaired driving becoming a social concern, the 'zombie vape' (containing etomidate) has emerged as a major issue. Minister of Health and Welfare Shih Chung-liang admitted today that the current Tobacco Hazards Prevention Act has a loophole as it does not penalize the 'possession' of e-cigarettes. He announced plans to amend the law, which will make possession of e-cigarettes and their components subject to confiscation and fines ranging from 2,000 to 10,000 TWD. The amendment also aims to strengthen the management responsibilities of online platforms. Health Promotion Administration Director-General Shen Ching-fen stated that online platform operators will be required to establish risk control and self-regulation mechanisms for illegal information. If illegal advertising or sales are detected, authorities will have the power to restrict access or remove the content. The fines for platform operators remain at 400,000 to 2 million TWD.