Taiwan’s E-Cigarette and Heat-Not-Burn Bans: A Beacon for Global Tobacco Control

Introduction:
This text provides an analysis of Taiwan's policies regarding e-cigarettes and heated tobacco products (HTPs), offering insights into the policy journey, lessons learned, and innovations that can serve as a model for other countries. The article highlights the urgent need for policy action, the importance of evidence-based policy design, stakeholder engagement, seizing policy windows, and anticipating opposition tactics. It also discusses the challenges of implementing and enforcing these bans, drawing on comparative insights from Thailand's experience.

Key Points:

* Taiwan passed landmark legislation in 2023 banning e-cigarettes and regulating HTPs, with a complete ban on flavored tobacco products.
* The policy decisions for both products were based on a careful weighing of their potential benefits for smoking cessation against their risks, particularly for youth.
* The policy process involved extensive consultations with stakeholders and required persistence and pragmatism due to competing interests.
* The government capitalized on momentary alignments of political will and public opinion, employing proactive media engagement strategies.
* The government anticipated and prepared for opposition tactics, such as flooding public consultations, mobilizing social media campaigns, and filing administrative appeals.
* Taiwan's comprehensive bans set a new standard for tobacco control among high-income democracies, with the importance of taking a precautionary approach to protect public health.
* Effective implementation, enforcement, monitoring, and evaluation are critical to ensuring the success of these policies.

Main Message:
Taiwan's experience in regulating e-cigarettes and HTPs provides valuable insights for other countries seeking to protect public health. By adopting a precautionary approach and taking swift and decisive action, governments can close regulatory loopholes and prevent a new generation from becoming addicted to nicotine. Effective policy implementation, monitoring, and evaluation are crucial, and governments must remain vigilant against tobacco industry interference and adapt their approaches as new evidence emerges. Taiwan's example demonstrates that bold, proactive policymaking is possible with political will, evidence-based decision-making, and intersectoral collaboration, ultimately advancing progress toward a tobacco-free future.

Sharon Wei, Chao-chun Wu, Y Tony Yang, Taiwan’s E-Cigarette and Heat-Not-Burn Bans: A Beacon for Global Tobacco Control, Nicotine & Tobacco Research, Volume 27, Issue 5, May 2025, Pages 945–947, https://doi.org/10.1093/ntr/ntae288