Synthetic nicotine liquid e-cigarettes, long criticized as a regulatory blind spot, will now face the same restrictions as conventional tobacco products. Anyone caught using liquid e-cigarettes in non-smoking areas faces a fine of up to 100,000 won.
The Ministry of Health and Welfare (MOHW) and local governments nationwide said Tuesday that they will conduct intensive inspections of smoking in non-smoking areas and the operation of cigarette vending machines, running from that day through July 15. Following the implementation of the revised Tobacco Business Act in April, the government had operated a roughly two-month grace period to help the system take root, and switched to full-scale enforcement from Tuesday.
The revised law expanded the definition of tobacco from the previous "products made from tobacco leaves" to all products containing nicotine, regardless of whether it is natural or synthetic. As a result, synthetic nicotine liquid e-cigarettes are now subject to the same regulations as existing tobacco products, including non-smoking area restrictions, advertising limits, and mandatory warning images.
"E-Cigarettes Are Tobacco, Too"...Same Standards Applied to Advertising and Sales
Under the National Health Promotion Act, non-smoking areas prohibit the use not only of conventional cigarettes but also of all tobacco products, including liquid e-cigarettes and heated tobacco products. Local governments can impose fines of up to 100,000 won on users caught smoking in non-smoking areas.
The intensive inspection will examine compliance with cigarette vending machine operating standards alongside smoking enforcement. Cigarette vending machines may only be installed in places where minors are restricted from entering, such as inside tobacco retail outlets, and must be equipped with adult verification devices.
Ahead of the system's implementation, the MOHW, together with local governments nationwide, has been inspecting e-cigarette sales outlets and vending machines for compliance with sales and advertising standards. The government plans to combine guidance and enforcement so that the newly expanded tobacco regulations can take hold in the field.
Liquid E-Cigarette Use Rising...Government Says Goal Is "Protecting Public Health"
Behind the government's expansion of regulatory targets is the rapidly rising rate of e-cigarette use. According to the Community Health Survey, the conventional cigarette smoking rate fell from 18.9% last year to 17.9% this year, but e-cigarette use rose instead.
The heated tobacco use rate rose from 6.0% to 6.3% over the same period, and the liquid e-cigarette use rate also climbed from 4.0% to 4.5%. In particular, the liquid e-cigarette use rate increased by more than 70% over the past seven years.
"By clearly defining synthetic nicotine products as tobacco, we have enhanced the protection of public health and the effectiveness of tobacco regulation," an MOHW official said. "Smokers need to familiarize themselves with the changed system so as not to be disadvantaged."
