Southeast Asia gets to grips with vaping as Gen Z piles in to puff: ‘I thought it was cool’
- Young people across the region are increasingly reaching for vapes and e-cigarettes, exposing them to nicotine and other harmful substances
- Vietnam is weighing controls. Bans in Singapore and Thailand are often flouted. Indonesia, meanwhile, went a different route – imposing heavy taxes
Vietnamese student Khanh Le says the joy of vaping means the looming threat of regulation is unlikely to stop stressed, overworked young people from puffing away on the ubiquitous disposable pens.
“My cousin introduced it to me and I thought it was cool,” said the 23-year-old in Ho Chi Minh City. “Vaping is a mental coping mechanism. I need nicotine to relieve my stress, and it is more enjoyable and less harmful than cigarettes.”
The battery-operated devices, which work by vaporising a flavoured liquid with each puff by the user, have caught most of the region’s governments off-balance.
Critics say regulators have dithered over the laws – and tax potential – associated with a product that has become wildly popular in less than a decade. Meanwhile, the number of vape fans is growing as health experts warn that it is exposing young people – some still in school – to nicotine and other harmful substances many believe are only found in cigarettes.
