Starting May 15, 2026, under Decree 90/2026/ND-CP, Vietnam will implement stricter administrative penalties for violations in the healthcare sector, with a significant focus on tobacco control, marketing, and sales.
Key penalties for business and promotional activities:
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Marketing and Branding: Fines ranging from 20 million to 30 million VND will be imposed for direct tobacco marketing in any form or for using tobacco brand names and symbols on other products and services.
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Retail and Display: Retailers displaying more than one pack or carton of a single cigarette brand, or failing to post signs prohibiting sales to minors, face fines of up to 5 million VND. Business operations related to these violations may also be suspended for one to three months.
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Workplace Regulations: Organizations that fail to incorporate smoking bans into internal regulations or annual action plans will be fined between 3 million and 5 million VND.
Regulations for individual users and other infractions:
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Minors: Individuals aged 16 to under 18 caught smoking will face fines between 200,000 and 500,000 VND. Coercing others into smoking or using minors to purchase tobacco products is also subject to administrative fines.
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Sponsorships: Any form of unauthorized sponsorship by tobacco companies, or public announcements regarding such sponsorships, can result in penalties of up to 40 million VND.
Beyond monetary fines, violators are required to recall non-compliant products, remove illegal branding elements, or destroy goods if the violations cannot be rectified.