Who Is Behind Recent Trade Complaints Against Vietnam’s E-Cigarette and Heated Tobacco Product Ban?
July 06, 2026
Vietnam has a comprehensive ban on e-cigarettes and heated tobacco products (HTPs).
Just months after the ban went into effect, Indonesia and the Philippines submitted formal complaints claiming that Vietnam’s ban violated trade agreements in the region.
The tactic of framing HTP bans as trade issues has also been observed in Europe, where freedom of information (FOI) request documents revealed that Philip Morris International (PMI) was behind the push.
There is evidence that PMI is working behind the scenes to undermine Vietnam’s HTP ban, such as FOI messages showing PMI has been in touch with government officials to discuss how the ban would impact HTP imports.
