E-cigarettes disguised as toys flood online markets

E-commerce platforms are selling e-cigarettes at around VND100,000-200,000 (US$4-8) per unit. They are often designed to have the appearance of colorful cartoon animals.

Hoang, a vendor in Go Vap District, HCMC, said that he has products that look like teddy bear key chains, or milk boxes.

E-cigarettes disguised as toys. Photo by VnExpress/Minh Hoang

His e-cigarettes and e-liquids (also known as vape juice) are shipped nationwide.

"I have sold thousands of units of many varieties."

A user can easily find instructions and reviews of e-cigarettes on YouTube and TikTok. Social media groups with more than 10,000 members also sell these products daily, mostly to young customers.

A vendor in District 12 said that he often imports a batch of 500-1,000 products each.

"Sales have risen 20% this year because there are many attractive models."

E-cigarettes disguised as beverage containers. Photo by VnExpress/Minh Hoang

The National Assembly in November approved a ban on all e-cigarettes, which is set to take effect on Jan. 1.

The ban came after health authorities repeatedly warned of the negative impacts of e-cigarettes as most e-liquids contain addictive nicotine.

They said that e-cigarettes can causes issues on users’ nerves, lungs, and the cardiac system.

Market authorities say that most e-cigarettes are smuggled into the country.

In the first six months, HCMC market authorities confiscated over 16,000 e-cigarette products worth VND5.4 billion.

Hundreds of products have also been seized in Hanoi and the northern province of Thai Nguyen.

The police have discovered 35 cases of e-cigarette violations in the first six months involving 83 individuals.

They even busted a company which was producing e-cigarettes in large number using imported parts.