E-cigarette Proliferation Continues: John Tung Foundation Calls for Urgent Increase in Enforcement Staff

The Executive Yuan passed an amendment to the Tobacco Hazards Prevention Act today, introducing severe penalties for e-cigarette-related offenses. Manufacturing, importing, or selling e-cigarettes may result in up to seven years of imprisonment, while possession or use could incur fines of up to NT$100,000.

The John Tung Foundation, a prominent anti-smoking advocacy group, supports the legislative changes but emphasizes that enforcement is the critical bottleneck. Lin Ching-li, Director of the Foundation’s Tobacco Hazards Prevention Center, noted that local governments currently suffer from a chronic lack of inspectors. In Taichung, for instance, only nine personnel are assigned to these duties, and many are also responsible for food safety inspections rather than focusing solely on tobacco control.

Lin argues that without sufficient human resources, even the strictest laws will fail to address the widespread proliferation of e-cigarettes. The Health Promotion Administration (HPA) of the Ministry of Health and Welfare responded by stating that it has increased subsidies to local governments and currently employs 183 inspectors across 22 counties and cities. The HPA maintains that it will continue to coordinate with central and local authorities to bolster border control, online monitoring, and campus prevention efforts.