Profile
Taiwan Flag
Cigarettes
Traditional Smokeless
HTP
E-cigarettes
Snus
Pouches
NRT
Taiwan Background
Profile
Taiwan Flag
Cigarettes
Traditional Smokeless
HTP
E-cigarettes
Snus
Pouches
NRT
Data sourced: 2023.   Page updated: 2023-05-17

The legal situation in Taiwan is confusing and e-cigarettes currently exist via a legal loophole. Officially, retailers need a license under the Pharmaceutical Affairs Act to sell e-cigarettes and none have been approved. Taiwan has a Tobacco Hazards Prevention Act (1997), but this apparently cannot regulate e-cigarettes as they contain no tobacco. In 2017 it was reported that the executive branch of the Taiwanese government, the Executive Yuan, was considering an amendment to the Tobacco Hazards Prevention Act which would result in a total ban on the sale of all vaping products, whether they contain nicotine or not. The new law would codify the ban and result in harsh punishments for violations. The penalty for manufacturing or importing e-cigarettes would range from NT$50,000 to NT$250,000 ($1650-8250 in U.S. dollars). Sales and use of e-cigarette products in non-smoking areas would be punished by a fine ranging from NT$10,000 to NT$50,000 ($330-1650 US$).

Prevalence

Year Value Reference/Comment
2014 200.7 thousand 1A A
2018 122.5 thousand 1B
2020 349.7 thousand 1B
References:
  1. 1. Chen, Y.L., et al. (2018) E-Cigarette use in a country with prevalent tobacco smoking: A population based study in Taiwan. Journal of Epidemiology, 2018. doi: 10.2188/jea.JE20170300. [Epub ahead of print]. 2. Calculation based on population size data of people over 15 years of age (16+). Source of population data: World Population Prospects 2019 [Internet]. United Nations; 2019. (Department of Economic and Social Affairs, editor. Population Division). Report No.: Rev. 1. Available from: https://population.un.org/wpp/Download/Standard/Population/
  2. 1. Ministry of Health and Welfare’s Health Promotion Administration (HPA), Jul. 2021 2. Calculation based on population size data of people over 15 years of age (16+). Source of population data: World Population Prospects 2019 [Internet]. United Nations; 2019. (Department of Economic and Social Affairs, editor. Population Division). Report No.: Rev. 1. Available from: https://population.un.org/wpp/Download/Standard/Population/
Comments:
  1. Data is from the National survey of substance use in Taiwan 2014. Current = past year use, Ever tried = lifetime use. World Population Prospects 2019 [Internet]. United Nations; 2019. (Department of Economic and Social Affairs, editor. Population Division). Report No.: Rev. 1. Available from: https://population.un.org/wpp/Download/Standard/Population/
Year Value Reference/Comment
2014 1% 2A A
2018 0.6% 2B
2020 1.7% 2B
References:
  1. Chen, Y.L., et al. (2018) E-Cigarette use in a country with prevalent tobacco smoking: A population based study in Taiwan. Journal of Epidemiology, 2018. doi: 10.2188/jea.JE20170300. [Epub ahead of print].
  2. Ministry of Health and Welfare’s Health Promotion Administration (HPA), Jul. 2021
Comments:
  1. Data is from the National survey of substance use in Taiwan 2014. Current = past year use, Ever tried = lifetime use.
Year Value Reference/Comment
2018 0.2% 2A
2020 0.9% 2A
References:
  1. Ministry of Health and Welfare’s Health Promotion Administration (HPA), Jul. 2021
Year Value Reference/Comment
2018 0.9% 2A
2020 2.6% 2A
References:
  1. Ministry of Health and Welfare’s Health Promotion Administration (HPA), Jul. 2021
2.2%
3 A
2014
References:
  1. 1. Ministry of Health and Welfare’s Health Promotion Administration (HPA), Jul. 2021 2. Calculation based on population size data of people over 15 years of age (16+). Source of population data: World Population Prospects 2019 [Internet]. United Nations; 2019. (Department of Economic and Social Affairs, editor. Population Division). Report No.: Rev. 1. Available from: https://population.un.org/wpp/Download/Standard/Population/
  2. Ministry of Health and Welfare’s Health Promotion Administration (HPA), Jul. 2021
  3. Chen, Y.L., et al. (2018) E-Cigarette use in a country with prevalent tobacco smoking: A population based study in Taiwan. Journal of Epidemiology, 2018. doi: 10.2188/jea.JE20170300. [Epub ahead of print].
Comments:
  1. Data is from the National survey of substance use in Taiwan 2014. Current = past year use, Ever tried = lifetime use.

Regulation

Year Value Reference/Comment
2017 or earlier Allowed 1A
2023 Banned 1B A
References:
  1. Data cross-referenced where possible using the following sources :1. Vapetrotter website. Available at: https://www.vapetrotter.com/laws/ ; 2. Global tobacco control website. Available at:https://www.globaltobaccocontrol.org/node/14052 ; 3. Tobacco Control Laws website. Available at : https://www.tobaccocontrollaws.org/legislation/
  2. Taiwan’s Tobacco Hazards Prevention Act. https://law.moj.gov.tw/ENG/LawClass/LawAll.aspx?pcode=L0070021
Comments:
  1. Liao, G. (2023, March 22). Vaping now illegal in Taiwan, punishable by NT$10,000 fine. Taiwan News. https://www.taiwannews.com.tw/en/news/4843474
References:
  1. Taiwan’s Tobacco Hazards Prevention Act. https://law.moj.gov.tw/ENG/LawClass/LawAll.aspx?pcode=L0070021
Comments:
  1. Liao, G. (2023, March 22). Vaping now illegal in Taiwan, punishable by NT$10,000 fine. Taiwan News. https://www.taiwannews.com.tw/en/news/4843474
The GSTHR database is updated regularly by our team. However, please be aware that the information we provide does not constitute legal advice. We cannot guarantee that the information is up to date or accurate, as the regulatory status of different product categories can change at short notice and with little publicity. If you wish to check the legal status of use or possession of any safer nicotine product in a specific country or region, you should verify the information independently. If you have reason to think that the information supplied on the GSTHR is inaccurate, please contact us with details and any references and we will rectify any errors.