Cambodia Issues Asia’s Latest Nicotine Prohibition

by Alex Norcia March 25, 2021

On March 23, Cambodia issued a ban on heated tobacco products (HTPs). The move, as reported by the English-language newspaper The Khmer Times, was announced by the National Authority of Combating Drugs.

Confusingly, the directive also prohibits electronic nicotine delivery systems like vaping products—while making the unfounded assertions that these device don’t help people to stop smoking and are not safer than conventional cigarettes. This comes despite the fact that consumption and sales of shisha and e-cigarettes have already been prohibited since 2014. Some local reports suggest that vapes remain available and that the ban has so far been widely ignored.

Those earlier guidelines, however, did not cover HTPs, also known as “heat-not-burn” products—devices which heat tobacco sticks to produce vapor, not smoke. Cambodia’s new directive states, according to The Phnom Penh Post, another English daily, that “all forms of trafficking, trading, and importations of HTPs must be stopped and information on import restrictions must be disseminated to all vendors and the public.” It’s unclear how prominent such devices are in Cambodia, though the government has seemed to suggest that there’s been a recent rise. Still, preemptive bans are not uncommon.

Though vaping tends to dominate the headlines, HTPs are beginning to creep into US policymakers’ minds—especially since July, when the United States Food and Drug Administration for the first time authorized one such device to be marketed as a “modified risk product.” Meaning, essentially, that it’s less dangerous than a traditional cigarette.

Both Japan and South Korea, meanwhile, have seen the popularity of HTPs soar in recent years—a development that has coincided with significant declines in combustible cigarette sales in those countries.

Nonetheless, prohibition has been a growing trend throughout Asia, where monied interests like nonprofits funded by the billionaire Michael Bloomberg typically influence legislation.

In March, the International Network of Nicotine Consumer Organizations (INNCO) released a direct response to the Bloomberg-supported International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease, which has recently called for low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) like Cambodia to prohibit vapes and HTPs. INNCO condemned the Union, detailing ways in which prohibition-based approaches are ineffective and offensive: that they rarely work, drive consumers to unregulated markets, and represent a new type of “philanthropic colonialism.”
https://filtermag.org/cambodia-issues-a ... ohibition/

Use of E-Cigarettes and Hydroxytryptophan Banned
AKP Phnom Penh, March 02, 2021 --

The National Authority for Combating Drugs (NACD) has urged ministries, institutions and other relevant players to jointly prevent the use of e-cigarettes and Hydroxytryptophan (HTP).

H.E. Gen. Meas Virith, NACD Secretary General made the point at the opening ceremony of a workshop on e-cigarette and HTP use and trading ban early this week.

According to Dr. Mom Kong, Director of Cambodian Movement for Health (CMH), a number of Cambodian youth has been deceived into using e-cigarettes and HTP, which is a form of illicit drug use in the country.

Using e-cigarettes and HTP is harmful not only to the health and future of the youth, but also to the social security and development.

H.E. Gen. Meas Virith also spoke highly of the workshop, and encouraged the participants to actively discuss potential solutions and share experience to address the issue.
- AKP

Fighting crime in Sihanoukville: Police get tough on vaping youth.

Sihanoukville Police Chief Announces Crackdown on E-Cigarettes

Cambodia News, (Preah Sihanouk Province): Police Commissioner of Sihanouk province, General Choun Narin, told the media network that the police will take action on the new type of cigarette, known as e-cigarette or electronic cigarette (vaping), after requests from citizens, parents and guardians of youth.


Health experts have noticed that vaping or vape is currently very popular among younger users, with some research suggesting that vaping is an evil equal to cigarette use and is also a gateway to drug use...

Where does he find the time
Friends little sis got bag snatched last week, 10 bucks, phone, bruised legs & arm. Lucky the strap broke!

It's good to see the police in Phnom Penh are hard at work fighting crime.

Phnom Penh Drug Squad Raids Multiple E-Cigarette Sellers in City-Wide Crackdown

Cambodia News, (Phnom Penh): The Anti-Drug Department and the Phnom Penh Municipal Police have assigned forces to search and crack down on users and places selling Electronic Cigarettes (E-Cigarette).
Police teams raided 15 different locations in Phnom Penh over two days, from 23 to 25 June 2022, in a giant crackdown on sellers of vaping and e-cigarette products.




According to the National Police, 31 people were detained as a result of the raids. They will be educated and made to sign an agreement to stop selling these illegal goods. All the merchadise was confiscated and will be destroyed by the Anti-Drug brigade.

Meanwhile, in Sihanoukville...

June 29, 2022
Sihanoukville vaping crackdown continues

Sihanoukville Authorities continue to crack down on vaping and e-cigarettes – with more shops and vendors closed down yesterday

In order to take measures to prevent the commercial exploitation and import of pizza [sic*] and electronic cigarettes in Sihanoukville, the Sihanoukville Special Forces continue to prosecute and sign contracts with business owners and shops in the province.
https://www.khmertimeskh.com/501103501/ ... continues/

* CEO News says: We cannot explain the mention of electronic pizza here, but this is an exact copy of the article published in the Khmer Times.

Ryan754326 wrote: ↑Thu Jun 30, 2022 2:20 am Is it cynical for me to think that maybe certain people in the tobacco trade just don’t like competition?

Nah, all about taking responsability toward the population. You see, it's just a preventive move to limit an extra electricity consumption that would exceed the limits of it's availability.
In short, if all Cambodian e-cigs are charging in the same time-window, the fuses would blow.

I tip my hat to that level of responsible anticipated action, there is enough burning houses and businesses already.

^^ Yep. Something close to what he said. Look HERE, but FFS don't look there or something like that.

If those are the reasons, what about flavored cigarettes? I think those are worse and are guilty of all the same things.